


Corriendo en sal (Running in salt)

by Rue Reviews (RueReviews)



Category: RWBY
Genre: M/M, STRQ, contains descriptions of violence and sexual situations, longform
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2017-03-05
Updated: 2017-12-29
Packaged: 2018-09-28 12:34:17
Rating: Mature
Warnings: Graphic Depictions Of Violence
Chapters: 18
Words: 32,862
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/10101011
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/RueReviews/pseuds/Rue%20Reviews
Summary: “Listen to me Oz, there are things I don’t want to talk about.  There are things you can’t bring yourself to talk about.  Even though I can see you wish you could.  Horrible things.  I know.”He looks him in the eye, holds him there with his determined gaze.  Red brick was never a color of glory, but on Qrow it is a color Ozpin latches onto, a color that captures him and holds him to a place where truth overrides fear.  It is the piercing gaze of necessity, of choosing action above uncertainty and doubt.  Fearsome gods spare the earth.Qrow and Ozpin's relationship from beginning to end.  This will hurt so good.





	1. A Bid

**Author's Note:**

> I've been writing a long time but this is my first fanfic? Hi guys. This pair needed more love. This will probably take me a while because I only have a day and a half off a week. 
> 
> NaomiInTeal on tumblr.  
> Find bits of my other writing at: http://naomiinstone.tumblr.com/post/38207202765/00-aper%C3%A7u-genesis
> 
> ~

Corriendo en sal (Running in salt)

 

He’d finally accepted the headmastership after Hinto retired from pretending to be in charge.  It was uncomfortable being the visible head of things, but it did afford certain freedoms he hadn’t been able to properly exercise by proxy.  He held much clearer sway over the admissions process now.  Good Master Hinto had seen the value in his selection paradigm but he had not had the eye for it.  Ozpin knew without asking nine times out of ten whether he could mold someone or whether they were beyond his reach.  This one, this one he would have given his eye teeth for.  Qrow Branwen.  From nowhere. 

Only certain types of people belonged to nowhere.  Mostly it was the kind that shouldn’t belong anywhere.  But then there were the kind who would sell their throats for someone to actually see them, who held unappreciated values wasted in the wastelands.  The new headmaster didn’t have to meet this boy directly to know he was of those people who was worth the effort, but because of it he wanted to.  It would take some doing to build the proper garden for this spirit to flourish, but a tribe child who deserted a retreat to save some strangers deserved the earliest attention he could offer.

~*~

Qrow had gotten caught.  Again.  If Raven covered for him it might smooth over, but if she didn’t…  He didn’t want to lose a step again.  There was too much at stake.  He had a flaw the others didn’t.  Each time it showed itself they trusted him less.  The tribe had cut people loose for less than what he’d done.  He was well aware he had a home there because of his sister.  If they could have gotten rid of him and kept her they would have done so in a heartbeat.  But the Branwen twins were insoluble.   She had needed him in the early days and she still felt she did.  He imagined one day she would let go of that feeling, but truth was truth: they had nothing if not for each other.  There were other siblings the tribe had taken in, sure, but the Branwens had been especially young.  They had seen Raven use her semblance and they wanted her.  But that day had not been a good day and she had needed her brother.  It was both or nothing.

~*~

The boy had had poor luck running into Viorica Prodan.  She did not have a forgiving outlook toward bandits and her rancor sharpened the static in the air as she led the professor down the hallway to Room 4, pausing at the doorway to remind him she would be outside if she were needed.  Ozpin nodded thanks to his former student and closed the door behind him.  The young man was leaning back in his chair with his feet on the table and his hands behind his head, apparently completely at ease.  He seemed to be trying to nap.  Ozpin smiled, pulling out the chair across from him and settling in, steepling his fingers as he studied the lanky frame he’d seen perform incredible feats in the video Viorica had sent him.  Someone as young and twiggy as this should have been more breakable.  There was a hardness to him though; stress seemed to be collecting behind his neck while the rest of his body took a break.

Qrow drew a breath and rolled his shoulders, opening one red eye to get a look at the professor before closing it again, “Crazy lady told me there was some Oz-something guy coming to talk to me before she decided whether to electrocute me again.  You him?”

Ozpin shifted his posture slightly; Qrow heard his jacket rustle. 

“Indeed I am.”

Qrow nodded, opening his eyes and actually sitting up, “She thinks you’re nuts.”

Ozpin smiled, “Many people have said the same.”

Qrow smirked, he might not hate this guy.  Depending whether he attempted to hand him over to the cops or not.  “If you want information from me, you’re not going to get it.”  Viorica had already tried that.

Ozpin shook his head just slightly, “I do want to know some things about you.  But my questions aren’t what you might expect.”

A muscle in Qrow’s jaw tightened, “Alright.”

“Where did you learn to fight like that?”

Qrow closed his eyes and leaned back in his chair again, “Didn’t have a choice.”

“Where did you get that weapon?”

Qrow snorted, “Where did you get yours?  Everyone knows you have to make your own if you want to be able to move right.”

Ozpin chuckled lightly, approving of the opinion, “I suppose so.  I’m curious how you had the means for such work out here.”

Qrow raised a wary eyebrow, “We have a smith.  It took a long time to find the right parts…”

“We?”

Qrow sat forward again, hackles raised, “You know that one,” he said pointedly.

Ozpin nodded, making a pacifying gesture, “Miss Prodan did tell me.”

“What do you really want to know?”

Professor Ozpin pursed his lips, unfond of being brought directly to his point, “Why did you save those people?”

Qrow’s brick-red eyes bored into the older man’s.  It was the same question he would be asked when he got back.  He would have to give a different answer then.  But he had very little to lose in this situation and the only thing these people would do that mattered to him was that eventually they would be careless and open a door or a window.  Might as well play with fire and see what they would do with the truth. 

“Because I’m not a complete asshole.”                                                                      

Ozpin reached out a hand to touch the middle of the table and looked the young man directly in the eyes, offering him complete honesty, “That’s why I’m here.”

Qrow stared into the other set of eyes, evaluating them.  Searching for falseness.  The boy looked tired, Ozpin thought.  Weary.  And he was careful.  That was good.  Something uncomfortable flitted across his face and he dropped his gaze.

Ozpin needed it back.  He flexed his fingers against the wood of the table.  “I run a school,” he began.

“I’m a little old for school,” the tribe child replied.

Ozpin raised an eyebrow.  He looked around admissions age, but appearances could lie, “How old?”

Qrow frowned at him.  He wasn’t talking about a regular school then.  “Seventeen.”

Perfect.  “That’s the standard admissions age.”

Qrow snorted, “You run a combat school?”

The professor nodded.

Qrow laughed once and shook his head, leaning forward in his chair and staring the older man right in the eye.  “I already know how to fight,” he spat.

Ozpin watched the fire in those red eyes and moved back to honesty.  He sighed tiredly and sagged back in his chair.  “That both is, and is not, the reason why I’m asking.”

Qrow blinked at him and suddenly the fire was gone and there was sorrow in its place.  Ozpin continued, “Your skills are impressive, yes, and I could make use of them as well as help you finetune them even more.”

“But being a huntsman is not just about fighting.  It’s about helping others,” Ozpin looked the boy over before continuing with care, “Something you seem to have an interest in.”

Something in the boy’s expression broke and all Ozpin could see was hurt.  The hurt of someone who’s been forced into something he didn’t want to be a part of.  The hurt of someone who had ached for a way out and never found one. 

“I have a sister.”

 _Ahh_.  That was why he hadn’t been able to leave.  “How old is she?”

The weariness again.  He’d seen far too much for someone so young.  In that moment Ozpin hated the tribe as much as Viorica did.

“She’s the same age as me.”

“A twin?”  Not all siblings were related by blood.

Qrow nodded, “Yes.”  Something about the word was heavy.  The professor would understand why later.

“Do you think she would like to come to my school as well?”

Qrow’s eyes narrowed in thought, his brow creasing.  “She might…” he began, “see an opportunity in it.”

If he could convince her.

Ozpin saw the problem.  The boy didn’t want to leave his sister in the tribe without him.  But she didn’t want to leave the tribe and he did.

Having someone loyal to the tribe in his school could be a risk.  But if he didn’t take the girl he couldn’t have the boy.  He had wanted him badly for his skills and his good heart.  He could make such use of a person like this.  But now, having met Qrow Branwen, he also truly wanted to help him.

“Please extend my invitation.  Term starts in six weeks.  It would be nice if the two of you would fill out our entry application, but I don’t need you to.  Just be there for the first day if that’s what you decide.”

Qrow stared at him, shocked.  “Which school is it?”

Ozpin smiled a proud smile, “Beacon.”

*~

End Chapter One

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> What flaw? Compassion? Poor bird.


	2. Blood

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I promised to come back.

Chapter Two: Blood

*~

Wings beat their way through the darkness, finding smoke first, then finally coming upon the fires of a large camp.  The dark bird skirted its edges, careful not to fly overhead, but looking.  To the southwest, a bit apart, lay a small clearing and a quieter, more careful fire.  The sound of wings turned three heads skyward.  Bayard, Som, and Raven had been jumping at the sound of every bird for the past two days.  When it alighted, the dark haired girl rushed at it, scaring it human.  She shoved her twin brother hard in the chest, causing him to stumble backward.

“What were you thinking?” she shouted quietly, angry at him but wary of nearby ears.

Som and Bayard had stood at his appearance, but held back, waiting on his answer.

Qrow shrugged casually, “C’mon Rave, you know I like a challenge.”

Bayard huffed, “ _I’m_ a challenge.  A pack of Beowolves is hardly something to get excited over.”

Qrow always feigned innocence poorly, “There was a Beringel too!  And a Nevermore showed up.”

Som snorted, “A small one.”

Raven lost her patience with her brother, “For fuck’s sake, Qrow, no one is going to buy that!  You can’t just desert a retreat, be gone for a whole day, and expect no one to notice!”  Her voice was creeping up in volume.

“ _Shhh_ , Raven, I need to talk to you before I have to go before Saffron.”

“Then tell me what happened!” she burst, moderating her volume only slightly, “Where _were_ you?”

Qrow’s eyes softened at the worry in her voice.  He glanced up at their friends, “Bay, Som, I’m sorry but something happened and I need to talk with Rave alone first.”  He pulled a purse from his pocket and tossed it to Som, “If anyone’s realized I’m back, will you turn that in for me and just say I’m washing up or something?” 

Som fingered the bag; there were a good amount of lien.  Hopefully that would help him.

~

Deeper into the trees about a mile away, Raven rounded on him, “Are you legitimately insane now is that what I’m dealing with?  How could a place like that be safe for us?”

“Think for a second, Raven!  Imagine what we could learn.”  She did not mirror the glimmer in his eyes.  He groaned in frustration and pressed on, “All kinds of important Huntsmen and infrastructure people hang around in Vale.  They wouldn’t know who we are.  Can you imagine how valuable that could be?”

Raven stood stock still and stared at her brother for a long minute, bile turning in the back of her throat, “You’re just looking for an excuse not to be here.”

With a sigh Qrow dropped his long arms to his sides and faced her openly, “Rave, you know I’m not cut out for raids.  I want to be able to help our people and I like killing Grimm.  This is a chance to do both.”

She let out nearly identical sigh.  He was her blood, and he was her only family, but he was not cut from the same cloth as she was and it was obvious.  They had been trying to minimize the gap in the eyes of the rest of the tribe for his safety, but perhaps a long mission away would be best. 

“Let me think about it.  And _if_ we decide to do this, let _me_ do the talking.”

A snort, “Obviously.”

~

Qrow’s throat was thick as he approached Saffron’s tent.  Raven had lied for him, but Saffron was smart.  She knew the boy was weak.  Keeping him went against the rules.  Pity.  He was a skilled fighter.  He just didn’t have the dedication.  She couldn’t trust him.  He was devoted to his sister but not to her.  She had been using that to control him but it was getting harder.  And the rest of the tribe was less and less willing to look the other way.

Raven stood at her side, dangerous, ready to protect her leader and her people.  Saffron had half a mind to set the two of them against each other.  But she wanted to keep Raven.  Her young soldier had done nothing wrong.  She needed her to be seen as free from her brother’s guilt.

But she also needed to make clear she would not tolerate desertion.  She had made sure his few allies and most fervent enemies were present for this hearing.  Som and Bayard were good soldiers.  They liked him because he was loyal.  He always had their backs in a fight.  They liked him because he was amusing.  Something he used to distract people from his doubts and misgivings.  But they also liked him because he was kind.  That was a weakness in the two of them. 

Strength was what was important.

Weakness had to be cut out.

She raised her chin at him and sneered as he approached.

“Branwen,” she pronounced his shared family name.  She had chosen to collect the two of them because their blood was precious.

He stopped in his shoes, too still, the calmness false.  He was always ready to draw to defend himself when he was in this chamber.  She saw how he let the fingers of his right hand twitch.  Just the once.  But it was a tell.

He shifted into an affected ease, his posture fluid.  She smiled.  He was a good liar.  Perhaps she should have held him closer and made him a spy for her much earlier on. 

“Chieftain Cézar.”

Her molten eyes smiled into his muddy ones, “You have disobeyed me.  I am the tribe.  The tribe sees you.”

He looked up at her carefully.  Always careful.

“I apologize for my recklessness.  I was tempted by a heavy purse to seek some small fortunes for our plates.” 

She smiled at him again, “You are the Unlucky one.  You should know better than to seek fortunes.”

A muscle in his neck twitched.  His eyes hardened.  His semblance was always a point of weakness anyone could poke at.  She twisted the knife.

“Your sister tells me your luck has bitten you.  You were captured.”

A nervous sideways glance.  At his enemies, not his friends.  Always careful.  He had not expected to discuss this in the forum.  Good.

“A huntress used rapid successive electric discharges on me, yes.”

She closed her eyes, nodding at the repeated information.

“Did you betray your people?”

A start from his head to his toes at the accusation, “No, my lady!  I would never—”

“I want you to swear to me you have not, and will not ever betray this family.”

Shock and the beginnings of tears in his eyes.  He was afraid.  He twisted the expression into one of hurt.  He was always a good liar.  “My lady, I swear on my life I have not and will not ever betray this family.”  He turned his head to sweep the crowd with his muddy red gaze, trying to convince them.

He did not pause at the faces of his friends.  He looked at the important members of the tribe, the smith, the surgeon, the old man.  He quieted his voice so it reached only just to the fabric of the tent walls and spoke with what seemed even to Saffron to be honesty, “I would never betray any of you.”

Saffron lifted her head high and looked down at him, “You swear on your life?”

He nodded, steel in his spine, “Yes, my Chieftain, I swear to you, who are the tribe.” 

Everyone in the room, from old to new, enemy to blood, knew he was offering his life.

She heard his sister draw a slow breath in fear beside her.  If Saffron demanded it, he would be executed on the spot.  If Saffron demanded it, he would have to do it himself or be fallen upon by the entire circle.

Saffron nodded and sighed contentedly, “Good.  I am glad.”

Forty people relaxed at those words.

“Ngai,” she pronounced sharply, calling the name of the youngest member in attendance.  The young boy looked up at her from his place next to their robust smith, “Yes, my lady?”

“Give Mr. Branwen your knife.”

Wide-eyed, the young boy stepped into the open space of the tribal circle and walked up to the young man who had taught him how to sharpen that knife, how build a fire.  Trepidation shone in his eyes as he offered the hilt of his small knife to the older brother.  Qrow accepted it, feigning calm for the little boy’s sake.  The young one hurried back to the shelter of the smith.

Qrow looked up at Saffron, no fear in his eyes anymore.

She called him by his personal name this time: “Qrow.  I want a scar for this promise.  Put that blade in your right wrist.”

He stared at her, already wounded.  It was his fighting arm.  It would make him unable to defend himself well until it healed.

He closed his red eyes in sorrow but switched the blade to his left hand and drew a steadying breath.  Raven stared at him in horror.

He lifted the intended arm for all to see and grimaced only slightly as he sank the perfectly sharp little blade into it.  Raven tasted bile.

He held the blade in his flesh, fighting his aura, until he began to feel dizzy.  No one spoke, but a few gasped as he sunk to a knee, his blood dripping darkly on the ground.

Chieftain Cézar nodded solemnly in acceptance of his oath.

"Branwen Qrow and Branwen Raven, I am sending you on a training and reconnaissance mission that is to last for several months.  Do not fail me."

 

~*~

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Next week is St. Patrick's and I will be working a lot. Wish me and all the drunks luck better than Qrow's.


	3. Beckoning

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I'm sorry if this isn't great. What's to come is better. Also, I had zero time to check this for mistakes, so if you find them just let me know and I'll see to them tonight when I get home.

Chapter 3: Beckoning

~*~

Raven hated crowds.  And confined spaces.  And normal people.  It was a miracle she hadn’t murdered someone on that airship.  An irritating, limp miracle.  In the shape of her brother.  Why he hadn’t wanted to fly the distance here was understandable.  Their surgeon had been barred from tending him and Som had had to see to his wrist, so it was still healing.  She just wished they had taken a different form of transit.  Being in the sky but not under her own power was the most frustrating feeling in the world. 

She was desperate to stretch her wings now, but he had ahold of her arm.  “Not in front of them, we agreed.”  She breathed in a calming breath, grabbed hold of his stupid wrist, and marched the two of them away from everyone else.

Passing through an archway, she turned them around the corner, a high wall blocking them from view, “Think you can handle a brief stretch?”

He smiled a slightly pained smile, “You know I’ve been dying for one. Let’s try it out.  You should go on ahead if I can’t do it though.”

She gave him a withering look, “I’m not about to wait for you just because your feathers are a bit crunched.”

He returned a sorry smile, “I wouldn’t ask you to.”

They both shifted and climbed into the sky.  It felt so good.

~

As the airship dropped off the term’s students, Ozpin watched from his balcony.  There were many interesting talents and personalities in this year’s new class, but he found he was most particularly looking for one head of hair.  Well, two.  The boy Viorica had found him had never submitted an application, but Ozpin hoped he and his sister would be here.  He didn’t see the messy dark hair yet.  He wondered what the girl would be like.  He had a feeling they would come.

Suddenly his attention was captured by a pair of birds whizzing past.  They seemed to be at play.  Interestingly, it was a crow and a raven.  Not quite birds of a feather, but cousins for sure, he mused.  The larger of the birds seemed more enthusiastic, and for a second he worried it planned to prey on the smaller one, the way it kept darting away and then circling back.  The way the crow was flying it looked like it was at a disadvantage.

He studied them for a long few minutes, not used to seeing different carrion birds interact like this.  He was probably just projecting, but it almost looked like the raven was looking out for the crow.  The smaller bird suddenly flew past him, cawing, closely chased by its friend.  He smiled.  There was a lot in this world worth saving. 

~

Qrow had to stop almost immediately.  His right wing burned like all hell. But as he shifted behind the wall, he was grinning.  It had felt so good.  He let Raven fly.  He slid down the wall, breathing heavily and rubbing his arm.  They’d made it to Beacon.

~

Of course, it wasn’t all peaches.  The twins were not particularly used to dealing with people who weren’t marks.  They’d each done a stint at a connected restaurant in Mistral a year ago at Saffron’s behest to learn some decorum, but it had not really stuck.  They knew how to not embarrass themselves in public, but they had no idea how to feel comfortable there.  Before they had left the Chieftain had reminded them with some amusement that they were not allowed to murder people in sight of anyone.

Being forced to sleep in a room full of strangers didn’t make that feel easy.  Raven took first watch because sleeping in such clearly parlous conditions made her skin crawl like crazy.  Qrow wasn’t feeling much better.  He actually laid his head in her lap to try to relax.  Displays of the closeness between them had been rare in the last few years.  Saffron and everyone else had been watching them too carefully.  She loved her brother but she had been able to buy more security for the two of them by implying that there was a certain distance in their relationship.

Here, people were certainly watching, but they didn’t know what to look for yet.  For the first time since making it, something about this decision felt nice.  She sunk her fingers into her brother’s hair like she had once used to do so freely.  It relaxed her more than she would have liked to say.  Hopefully it would help keep the terrors out of his dreams as well.

Finally, halfway through the night, when no one had moved in a while, her eyelids began to droop.  She squeezed his shoulder and shook it lightly.  His eyes opened on full alert.  She rubbed his arm in reassurance, “Your turn,” she whispered. 

He nodded slightly against her knee before rubbing his eyes and pushing himself into a sitting position, rubbing his forehead and sighing as he struggled to wakefulness, “Switch?” he suggested.  She turned bleary eyes on him, exhausted from a day on full alert, and nodded, “Yeah, sure,” she said, using his legs as a pillow.  She felt his hands loosen the comb in her hair and carefully brush the snags out.  “Thank you for coming with me,” he whispered.

~

She woke to his hands tensing in the muscle of her shoulder.  People around them were starting to rise.  She imagined his pulse was beating a mile a minute.  She stretched languidly, a cat not quite ready to be disturbed.  Some asshole was playing a terrible song nearby. 

“Let’s find the showers.”

~

A few hours and a strangely rich breakfast later, they were standing on the edge of a high cliff, overlooking a sprawling green forest.  It was beautiful.  Everything about it made Qrow want to soar.  He looked to his sister and grinned.  She rolled her eyes but shook her head fondly.

There was a lot of excited and nervous chattering from the people who were to become their classmates.  ‘Sheeple,’ Som had liked to call them. 

But these were people who had all chosen the life of the hunter, so Qrow was wary of putting them in the same category.

Everything quieted when a familiar white crowned head crested the ridge.  The man who had invited them here.  He’d given a brief and somewhat unsettling speech of welcome the day before, but this was the first time Qrow had seen him up close since that crazy lady had locked him in an office for a day.

In the morning light and the free air he looked different.

Before, he had just been a man with control of a door.  Granted, one who had extended an unbelievable offer to someone he shouldn’t have trusted, but just a man nonetheless.

Here, he was walking on ground of his own making.  And in the morning light, features that had before been just details made their first real impression on Qrow.  This man was something to behold.  Before, he could have believed he was just a simple teacher.  But here, on this cliff in the sun, he wore his full strength around him like a king’s robe.

Qrow stared.  Saffron Cézar had a strong, frightening presence even when she was seeming to offer gifts.  Her bloody might trailed around her feet like a menacing cloud, nipping at the ankles of anyone who stood close.  But he had never met someone who actually made him _want_ to follow them before.

He wanted to know more.  He wanted to know who this man was, and whether he really could be trusted or if this was just another veil.  But he _wanted_ to believe.  He wanted to believe he’d come to a place where he didn’t have to be constantly looking over his shoulder.  Even if he only got to stay a few months before the tribe reclaimed him.

Belatedly, he realized his sister was giving him an odd look.  He shook himself out of his thoughts and offered her an inculpable shrug, “What?  He’s hot.”  Raven rolled her eyes.

~

Looking around at his fresh-faced students, Ozpin’s lip pulled into a smile.  Team assignment day was always his favorite of the year.  He relished the chance to watch newly branded hunters find their feet for the first time.  His eyes ticked over some of the more interesting candidates.  Violet was here, Achillea, Muata, Kishan, and … his eyes stopped.  Qrow Branwen had made it after all.  And beside him on his right stood a girl who could only be the sister he had spoken of.  The resemblance between them was more than he’d imagined.  Her dress was bolder, her eyes a clearer red, her skin paler, her face round, but everything else was the same, from the wild black hair to the tenseness and grace at war within her posture, to the suspicious look masked in a casual bearing.  She even wore boots that made them the same height.  He smiled thinly.  There was a warrior.  And a challenge for certain.

He walked up to the pair of them, extending a hand to Qrow first, noting a new bracelet around his arm he hadn’t worn before.  “Glad you could make it.”  Qrow shook the offered hand, his wrist still feeling stiff when he used it, “Thanks.  This is my sister, Raven.”

Ozpin shook her hand as well, her aura feeling combative next to his, “Thank you for coming to my school.” 

Raven smiled awkwardly, the polite expression strange on her face, “Thanks for the offer.”

A small disagreement pulled his attention to the side, “If you’ll excuse me.”  He walked away from them over to a girl in a white cloak, “Summer Rose, Mr. Xiao Long, is something the matter here?”

The one he’d called Summer Rose straightened like a pin at the authority’s appearance.  Qrow bit his tongue in disgust before he heard her speak with some venom, “ _Mr_. Xiao Long needs to learn some boundaries.  This is a _professional_ institution and I am here to _work_.”

The professor fixed his gaze on the young man, long and hard until it had the desired effect, “I’m sorry sir.” 

Ozpin raised his eyebrows and once again waited.  The blond haired boy turned slowly to the girl in the cloak, “I’m sorry Miss Rose.  I will respect your boundaries.”

Ozpin breathed a sigh that clearly said ‘That’ll have to do’ and turned to the class, lifting his voice so it carried effortlessly, “As Professor Itsunka no doubt explained to you this morning, you are here to be assigned into teams.  Before you lies a forest where the creatures of Grimm keep as close to our city and our school as we will allow.  You are all no doubt familiar with why they would like to be closer.”

“Within this forest you will be monitored, but not aided, by the professors of Beacon.  You have all claimed you are up to the challenge of defending your fellow citizens from the deadly monsters that plague our world.  If you do not prove so today, you will not be permitted to continue at this school.  The resources of this institution are impressive, but they are not to be wasted.”

A blue haired girl’s hand shot up, but it was ignored.  It remained in the air as the headmaster continued.

“Your objective here today will be to locate, in collaboration with your partner, and retrieve one of the relics from the bottom of the pool crested by the waterfall at the northwest end of the forest.  If you do not bring one back, your admission to this Academy is revoked.  If you do not come back, your admission to this Academy is revoked.”

Professor Ozpin sighed in displeasure, finally addressing the hand waggling in the air, “Yes, Miss Nakahara?”

The blue haired girl blinked in surprise at finally not being ignored, “Pardon me, sir, but what if we get hurt?”

“Those of you fortunate enough to have caring guardians no doubt had a long conversation about the number of signatures required in the waiver section of your admissions packet.”

“Those of you without caring guardians will probably want to work on your abilities at forgery and reading comprehension if you make it through today.”

Someone spoke up from the back of the class, “But we don’t have our partners yet.  Do we get to choose?”

The professor shook his head and smiled at a private amusement, “Not exactly Mr. Sanghera.”

He looked over the assembled as he continued, “Once you land in the Emerald Forest, the first person you meet eyes with will be your partner for the next four years.”

“Wait, once we _land_?”

The professor smiled again, “Yes, once you land.”  He pulled out his scroll and began walking away from them. 

Raven stared open-mouthed after him before turning to her brother, “I thought _you_ were crazy, but that man is verifiably insane.”

Qrow watched the receding figure thoughtfully, “He told me he gets that a lot.”

Suddenly the ground beneath them pitched down at an angle, and in the next breath they were catapulted into the air.

~

 _Do not shift, do not shift, do not shift_ , was the mantra screaming through his head over and over again as he was flung through the sky.  Raven and he had agreed they would both be safer if no one at this school knew of that particular ability.

Thanks to the high numbers of Grimm that liked to follow their tribe around picking up scraps, he was no stranger to being tossed into the air like a ragdoll, but it was hard to tell his body when he was in the air for such an extended distance that he really didn’t need his wings.

His wings were shitty right now anyway though, he thought bitterly, probably would have fucked him up more if he had used them.

Qrow still felt ungainly with his great sword flung out on his left side, but it would have to do for a few weeks more.  Perhaps the experience would give him better balance in the end.

Sighting a tall tree in his path as his momentum started to fail, he depressed a catch and unshackled _Choice_ , its latent power unfurling in a series of heavy mechanical bursts.  His reaping scythe at ready, he swirled himself around the trunk of the tall oak and easily down to the forest floor.

~

Four Beowolves, a Griffon and a Taijitu later, he was beginning to wonder if anyone else was in these woods.  He understood if most of the students had wanted to get out of the skies and back on their feet early, but he really had thought at least some would have seen the advantage in being propelled as far toward their objective as possible.

He was passing the odd remains of what might have once been a temple or a bad film set when he finally heard sounds of a battle that were somewhat near.

More accurately he heard the sounds of a girl attacking, and a very distinctive clacking and groaning sound…  He shifted without thinking about it and made the clearing in less than a minute, in time to see a white blur attacking and dodging a Death Stalker.  “Motherfucker,” she growled in annoyance as she was forced to retreat once again.

He shifted back, ready to help, and watched to take in the situation for a moment.  She was _fast_.  Her cloak obscured his view of her actions somewhat, but he could see her slicing with both hands at what few weak points the heavily armored creature had.

Her weapons were small and sharp, ideal for maximum movement and multiple attacks, but not ideal against the heavy shell of the Death Stalker.  You needed something weighty like _Choice_ to take those fuckers down.

Not wanting to step in the way off her blades or its claws and stinger, Qrow called out his entrance, “Subbing in, watch out!”

She leapt away as he leapt in, smashing _Choice_ down on the creature’s back with a satisfying crack, stunning it from flailing around.

Instinctively they traded out again and she went for the creature’s stinger while he shifted _Choice_ into its scythe form and hacked off one of its claws.

Twice dismembered, it let out a mutilated scree that could doubtless be heard throughout half the forest.  “Whiny little bastard,” Summer muttered under her breath before turning to Qrow, locking eyes with him for the first time, “Get that other claw, I’m gonna tear out its eyes.”  He grinned, thrilled to have a talented partner, “You got it.”  He jumped to the other side of the beast, barely losing a breath as he slashed through its other arm.

True to her word, as it writhed in agony, Summer vaulted onto its head and sunk both of her blades deep in its eyes, the one under her right hand exploding.

It collapsed in a heavy heap and his new partner dropped to her knees, breathing heavily. 

“Thank you,” she panted out, “ _Reckoning_ and _Respite_ are just not great for that sort of armor.”

She pushed herself up, obviously frustrated, “Any other Grimm and I’ve got it, but those effing ‘Stalkers give me a run for it.”

Qrow shrugged, “Every weapon has its weakness.”

She smiled at him, amused, “And yours is?”

He sighed in weariness himself, “ _Choice_ is fucking heavy.”

She laughed at that.  He smiled, “Seen a lot of action so far?”

She shrugged her shoulders, “Bunch of Ursai, Beowolves, and a really huge Boarbatusk.  Heard a Griffon, though.”

He raised his eyebrows, “That was probably mine, it wasn’t that far back.”

She nodded, “You got it, I assume?”

He dipped a bow, “Yes ma’am.”

She smiled at him, amused by his gesture, “Good.”

 “I’m Summer by the way,” she said, reaching out her hand, “Summer Rose.”

He returned the smile and shook her hand gladly, “Qrow Branwen.”

“Well Qrow,” she said, raising her left-hand weapon, “As my partner you should probably know that _Respite_ is poisoned, so be careful when you’re on my left side.”

He blinked at her.  It had never occurred to him to try to poison Grimm.  Unless it wasn’t for them.   He shivered a little, “Thanks for the warning.  Does it work on them?”

She shrugged, cheery mood not unsettled by his reaction, “It’s hard to tell, really.  Mostly my mom was worried about me going to the big city alone.”

He snorted at that, “In my experience the countryside is much more dangerous.”

She laughed too, “Right?”

~

As they approached the Northwest end of the forest, they began to hear the thundering sounds of the waterfall.  And arguing.  Qrow put a hand to his head, recognizing his sister’s voice.  Summer scowled, “Ugh, it’s that guy that was bothering me this morning.”

Qrow threw her a sideways glance, “What was that about anyway?”

Summer sighed, “He was upset that I was wearing a cape rather than displaying myself for his amusement.”

Qrow blinked at her.  “Wow, what a dick.”

She shook her head, still angry at the memory, “I know.”

As they neared, they began to make out the content of the feud between what Qrow was slowly realizing must be newly assigned partners.  “Ffuck,” he muttered as they trudged through the underbrush, “If they’re fighting and there’s no one else there, that’s my sister’s partner for the duration of the year.”

“Four years,” Summer corrected absently.  “Wait, you have a sister?”

Qrow looked across and nodded at her slowly.

She was the first person he could recall—ever—to not notice him and Raven in the midst of a group.  Normally they stuck out like the very sore thumbs they were.

They crept up quietly upon the other pair, in time to hear the blond boy shouting at the dark haired and dangerous girl.

“I am not going in there!  That pool is crawling with Abaia, and I don’t even see any relics from the surface.”

She rounded on him, hand on the hilt of _Pleading_ , “I am not about to undress in front of you, and this silk was a ceremonial gift of faith that I am not about to ruin on purpose.”

Taiyang made an ugly, exasperated noise, “10 to 1 there is a Namazu down there and I am not about to handle that shit alone!”

Qrow and Summer locked wide pairs of eyes, silver to muddy red.

He closed his and sighed, stepping out from the underbrush, “Look, Abaia aren’t that big of a deal.”

Raven stared at him, irritated now that she hadn’t been able to corral her partner before someone showed up to witness the dispute, but equally irritated that her brother and… whoever that was… had only been a step or two behind her.  It made for a very ugly expression on her impressive face.

Summer stepped up next to her partner and agreed, “How about we go ahead and take care of some of them, locate the relics, and then you can resolve your dress over qualms issue.”

The blond’s face also twisted into something gross at the realization that two strangers were demeaning him.

Raven, however, as usual, pressed forward, “Fine.”

Summer glared at the boy, “Watch our backs.  Anything that comes from the trees is your problem.”

He rolled his blue eyes, “Fine.”

Summer nearly cut him off, “And **_don’t_** turn around or I will hurt you.”

Sneering, he turned around and put himself in a ready stance.

Raven sighed and perched herself on a rock, looking completely relaxed but also watching the trees, fingering _Pleading_ like it was a precious guitar.

Summer watched them for a moment then turned to Qrow and nodded.

He toed off his shoes and she dropped her cape.  Both palmed their weapons and they dove.

~

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> ffuck writing introduction chapters. hope i'm not kicking tai too hard. that'll settle down soon.


	4. Reckoning

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Sorry for the long break. Work is a bitch. Also, I promise this will be Ozqrow eventually! Oz will be around more in the next chapter, so get excited. Clocking into work presently so expect a couple of revisions in the late hours tonight. Let me know if you see something that needs to be fixed.

 

 

~*~

 

Chapter 4: Reckoning

 

As they emerged from the pool he found his sister staring with a disturbed face at her new partner, “You really named your fists _Apology_ and _Acceptance_?”

“I think it’s a cool name!”

She raised her brows, “I think it’s dumb, but my point is they’re just your fists, they’re not even weapons.”

The blond kid gave his sister a dramatically wounded look, pressing a hand over his heart.  Qrow and Summer shared an exasperated glance.  She picked up her cloak and tossed their little relic up in the air and caught it a few times, absently toying with the shiny black rook as the scene before them played out.

Taiyang started an argument about how useful he was with his fists, but Qrow coughed pointedly to interrupt him.

“We took care of a large part of your problem.  If you want to take a dip before the Abaia replenish themselves, now would be the time.”

The sunny haired young man whipped around, noticing their reappearance for the first time.  Raven rolled her eyes.

“Were there Namazu down there?”

Summer smiled allowingly at him for the first time, her face something like a mother reassuring a child there were no Grimm under the bed, “There was just one.  Mr. Branwen and I took care of it for you though, so you don’t need to worry.”

Taiyang stared slack-jawed at the pair of them, dripping wet and Qrow still shoeless, “By yourselves?  The pair of you took down a Namazu with just the two of you?”

Raven rolled her eyes behind him, “Well they _do_ at least have weapons, even if my brother’s shit at using his right now.”

Qrow huffed at her and averted his gaze toward the tree line, straining his eyes and ears for further threats.

His sister turned on her partner, “Get down there and I suppose I’ll owe you a favor.  Bring back a piece that matches theirs if there is one.  I’m guessing that’s how this whole thing works.”

Taiyang glanced the sopping pair over again, biting his teeth at the two of them, “I do not want these nutjobs for teammates.”

Raven moved so swiftly that in less than half a second _Pleading_ was at the blond kid’s throat.  “I will not let you stand in the way of what I want, _Xiao Long_ ,” she growled, turning his name into a slur.

Next to Qrow, Summer’s face paled.

“Raven,” Qrow snapped authoritatively.  Attempting to stop his sister had about a fifty percent success rate.  Better than most people could get.  This time she backed down.

Summer breathed a sigh of relief, “Look, we’ll be fine, we just need to learn how to get along.”

Taiyang sneered at his dark-haired partner, “Well at least someone knows how to control you.  Maybe I do want him on my team.”

Qrow lost it and hit the guy in the jaw, hard, before Summer could pull him back.

He stood over their soon to be teammate as threateningly as his sister had just done, despite the throbbing in his wrist.

“You disrespect either one of these women again and I will not stop them from hurting you.  And if they’re feeling tired I’ll do it myself.”

Taiyang was on his feet with his fists up and his stance ready in a flash.  A twist in his right foot was all the warning Summer needed.   Like a needle, she darted forward, coming between the blond’s fist and her partner, using his arm’s momentum to turn him slightly and throw him into the pool.

Qrow burst out laughing.

Taiyang came up sputtering angrily, about to retort when he had to jab an Abaia’s skull with a deft elbow.

Raven stepped slightly nearer to the water’s edge, careful to stay out of grabbing distance.  “The rook, Tai.  My brother and I stick together.”

~

In the few minutes before he came back up with the appropriate piece, Summer confronted the united Branwens about violence within the team.  They nodded, agreeing she probably had a point, but maintained that they both hated that guy.  She sighed, “It’s not like I like him either, but it’s going to be up to us to turn him into less of a turd.  And beating him bloody is probably not the way to go about it if we want an actual fighter that can support us.”

Raven sighed in frustration and Qrow folded his arms, his expression pensive.  They were going to have to figure out how to work with people in much different ways here than what they were used to at home.

“When he comes up, I’d like one of you to apologize or at least extend some sort of olive branch to him.”

Raven snorted at the other girl, “Fat chance, peace peddler.”

Summer sighed in frustration, turning authoritative again, “Look, whether we’re stuck with him or not, you for sure are.”  She paused for a moment, worried, “Does he even know how to fight?”

Raven sighed, grudgingly admitting she’d watched him take out a group of Ursai, denying him help because he’d addressed her as ‘Hot stuff.’  She folded her arms, huffing in frustration and looking very much like her brother had a moment before.  “Nobody talks to me like that.”  She glanced at Summer, deciding to make her an ally with a conspiratorial wink, “Unless I want them to.”

Qrow groaned beside them, “Gross, Raven.” 

Summer smiled.

~

Once Taiyang resurfaced with the matching relic, he handed it wordlessly to Raven, ignoring the others as he stripped off and wrung out his shirt and vest.  Sparing the girls the bother, Qrow approached the guy, heaving a sigh.  Diplomacy was not his strength.  “Thanks for getting the rook.”

Taiyang glared at him over his shoulder, “Thanks for hitting me in the face.”

Summer walked over to them, “Look, we talked while you were gone.  We’ve got a lot of different personalities but we’ve decided to try to work together.”

Taiyang held up a hand, “With all due respect Summer, and I am sorry about this morning, but you aren’t the one they attacked.  I’m asking for reassignment when we get back.  You guys can do what you want.”

Summer took offense, “With all due respect, _Tai_ , you are the person who’s been showing us all a bad attitude on the first day we’ve met you.”

His bright blue eyes narrowed into slits, “I’ve been showing a bad attitude?!”  He gestured emphatically at his new partner, who looked unperturbed, “What about her?”

Summer drew a breath, about to explain that she’d missed most of their interactions, but the twins beat her to it, defensively offering no defense whatsoever, “That’s just how she is (I am).”

Tai rolled his eyes and shook his head, turning on the other young man, “And I suppose you’re just the same and everyone is also supposed to just deal with it, huh?”

Qrow shrugged noncommittally. 

Tai was about to lose his shit, “Look, where I come from, people don’t attack one another.”

“Lucky you,” Raven commented dryly.

Without them realizing it, Summer had steered them to start walking in the return direction, eager to get this mission over with.

Qrow spoke up as he trudged through the forest, “Well where I come from, people think twice about disrespecting women if they don’t want to get torn apart.”  Not that everyone gave it a third think, but he’d always hated those types of guys.

“I said I was sorry, alright?”

Summer heaved an angry breath through her nostrils as she cut a branch out of her way, “Well you’re going to have to turn over a new leaf if you’re going to work successfully with anyone at this school who’s not a douchebag.”

~*~

Downing a good amount Grimm on their way back eased the tension among the four somewhat.  Summer and Qrow had to admit Tai was much more useful in a fight than he was in a conversation.  The girls seemed coolly impressed with one another, a bit wary after sighting each other’s skills.  Neither of them had found female friendships easy before. 

Finally, as the day began to warm, they reached the thin swath of grassland at the base of the cliffs.  At its end was a deep gulch separating the tired group from the sheer rock face that towered above them. The treacherous looking ruins of thin bridges and towers webbed across the gap.

Taiyang’s blue eyes reflected the sky above them as he stared up the impossibly high cliffs.  He hadn’t thought about this on the way down.  “How in the bitter remains of Remnant are we supposed to get up that?”

Qrow shrugged in resignation, eyeing the rock face himself, “I don’t know, fly?”

Raven snorted at the bad joke.

Summer looked around them.  There _had_ to be something.  It was unfortunate no one carried a grappling hook as a weapon.  The blue haired girl Nakahara had had one.  Regrettably they had no way to contact the other teams.  She chewed on her lip.

“Maybe there’s a way up through that temple thing on the other side,” Raven suggested.  Everyone looked across at the dark hole in the ancient stones dubiously.

“Maybe,” Summer agreed.  “Getting across there doesn’t look terribly easy.”  She sighed, “It would be nice if one of the other teams were here to bounce ideas off.”

Taiyang shrugged his shoulders and headed towards the nearest bridge, “Let’s give it a shot.”

The Branwens held back a moment, instincts telling them nothing but trouble lay ahead.  Summer checked Qrow’s shoulder, “C’mon.”  He sighed, falling into step beside her, patting his sister’s shoulder on the way, “It’s probably inevitable Rave.”  She sighed, seeming to relax, and they stepped out onto the bridge.

Pieces crumbled and fell away under their feet and sections were missing in parts but nimbleness and resourceful thinking got them most of the way across with only a few scrapes before the real obstacle—because of course there had to be another obstacle—presented itself.

Taiyang had never even heard of a Grimm like this.  Summer had read about the Ew’ah, the underground panther, the spirit of madness.  The Branwens were the ones whose throats went dry.  It was the most horrifying Grimm they remembered clearly.  Whatever had destroyed their original home had been a terror they had not been able to understand.  Recollection of that event was beyond them, but the Ew’ah…  The Ew’ah they remembered the clearly.  Saffron had overreached.  This was not something to be flirted with. 

Qrow switched _Choice_ to his right hand, muscle memory more important now than possible muscle damage.  He depressed her catch, letting her scythe form unfold like a fern.  Raven spun the dial on _Pleading_ , switching her active dust crystal to wind, like it was going to do anything.  A murmured phrase fell from the lips of the twins, something remembered but not known, a language neither of them spoke anymore.  They charged as one.

Most Grimm were unnatural, unbalanced, graceless.  The Ew’ah was not.  The great panther moved like the curled power of the earth, cracks of red hot lava showing scars of past battles.  The Ew’ah was several tons of raw murder calculated down to the hair.  The Ew’ah was perfect.  And it was going to kill them.  This was no test for new blood.  This was the sort of Grimm so vicious even its survivors were said to be destroyed people.  This was a necessary mission.  It had to be defeated or they would all die.  Not just the four of them.  A good hundred at least.  This was no task meant for children.

↨

“Kamaria.”  Ozpin stated, concise, authoritative, urgent.

The combat professor didn’t spare time to nod, launching herself off the cliff and into the fray on his word without question.

↨

The Branwens darted in perfect, deadly harmony, feinting both to the left of their objective, then dropping to the ground beneath its massive jaws, between its massive paws and claws that were the size of a grown human, springing deftly upwards and to the right, twisting midair to sink their blades halfway into the creature’s giant, murderous eyes.

“Tai!” Summer screamed, using nearly the same tone as Ozpin, though sheer terror and alarm were evident in her voice.

Their attack was less coordinated, but as the great beast swatted and lunged for the retreating twins, their only hope was to deflect its accuracy.  When its impossibly huge paw connected with Raven’s body before she could intercept it, Summer realized with horror that while no doubt heavily impaired, the creature’s giant eyes could still see.  She and Tai crashed into its shoulders ineffectually and it shook them off like gnats, its wild growl echoing down the gulch and no doubt all the way to the city of Vale.

A missile of dark skin and unbleached cotton crashed down onto the Ew’ah’s neck from above, just as Qrow was rounding for a second attack. 

“Throat,” Summer screamed out hoarsely, as she landed too far away but sprinted back towards it herself, aiming for the right of the neck.  “Tai, left neck!  Left neck!” 

Raven was recovering from a harsh landing in time to see her brother gripping the nightmare’s bottom jaw to swing himself into position to slice at its throat.  He didn’t land his blade deep but as the creature tucked its neck to protect itself, the blur that had come from above before struck from below, dark skin and a cream colored martial robe Raven recognized as Professor Itsunka exploded up from underneath the giant cat, bursting up from the ground to land the heel of her palm at the weak point of its ribcage. 

Raven headed for the right eye again, the one that was always hers.  She changed her angle of attack carefully, not wanting the powerful thing to predict her movements.  Ew’ah had quick reflexes.  Summer and Tai’s hits caused the big cat’s head to wobble, and she timed herself to strike it just as it was swinging towards her.  It swiped blindly for her, missing this time.  Qrow, landing on the cross side of its body, waited, scythe at ready for his chance. 

Itsunka, from beneath, called out her intention “À vent!”  Summer countered, “Tai, dors!”  She waited a beat before calling again, “Qrow, skull!”  She launched herself right after, going for the left eye her partner had gotten started for her.  Itsunka directed the others, “Shoulders, now!”  The puma yowled, blinded but not beaten, leaping in a still perfect arc into the middle of the precarious ruins. 

They followed, scratching up its back.  Its tail whirled wildly, knocking down pillars as it fought to keep balance.  Itsunka grabbed the appendage, anchoring it as _Choice_ sliced it off at its base, her wielder growling himself.  Summer and Raven attacked the Ew’ah’s neck again, carving their bloody way through the thick flesh of the great beast, opening up fresh streams of lava they all had to avoid.  Taiyang and Professor Itsunka crushed its ribcage inward from the sides.  Still, the madding cat was powerful, rearing on its hind legs to swat at where it imagined them to be. 

“Twins, hamstrings!”  Summer’s new teammates were precise and efficient, in a way that told her their training had been nearly completely hands on from the start.  The heavy body crashed down, demolishing the ruined bridge beneath it.  As it began to fall, Itsunka shouted, “We follow!”  Tai was incredulous: was she insane?  They’d fall to their deaths. 

“We have to confirm this kill!” 

Summer squeezed her eyes shut and shook her head, diving after the giant clawed horror as she was told.  “The belly!” she shouted over the rush of air, “The belly at once!”  She focused on her target and her aura, willing both her aim and her shield to be strong.  Five vicious attacks landed at once and finally the creature exploded into noxious dark clouds of fog, blinding them and sending them choking just when they needed to be searching for handholds to catch themselves along the cliff face. 

A glance to her left saw Itsunka slamming Taiyang against the rock.  She had _Reckoning_ and _Respite_ out and poised to catch herself, but Qrow’s scythe was better, and he reached for her with wild eyes as he drove it into the rock.  Her shoulder muscles tore, but held her well enough that he got her to grip the handle of his weapon before launching himself down again, arcing as if he were diving backwards into a pool.  That was when she realized she hadn’t seen Raven land. 

“Climb down,” Itsunka yelled to her, “There’s a path.”  At the same moment two black birds shot up past her, wheeled and circled downward.

They found the Branwen twins lying panting on the path.  Summer collapsed next to her partner, dropping his heavy weapon carefully away from their bodies.

“I thought the professors didn’t interfere,” Tai finally managed.

“Ew’ah are not permitted anywhere in the kingdom of Vale,” was all their instructor replied.

Kamaria Itsunka did not offer them congratulations as they trudged up the cliff path.  Instead she tapped her scroll pointedly.  “I saw what happened between the four of you at the pool.  Mr. Xiao Long, Miss Rose, I’d like you to find me at my office after the team announcements.  Miss and Mr. Branwen, you should report to Headmaster Ozpin at the same hour.”  The students groaned collectively.  The morning’s situation hardly seemed to matter after all that.  “Also you four have terrible landing strategy for this type of situation.”

~

 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Pals, I am really excited. There is an 85% chance I get to fly across the country to visit one of my favorite, favorite people next week. I haven't given her much warning, so she will probably have to work and I will probably be able to write. I feel like these most recent pair of chapters are more annoying and better things are to come, but I also feel like STRQ (along with Oz) is kind of essential to a complete shift in the Branwen's lives that turns out permanent for Qrow but not so for his sister. Very excited to write about how it all falls apart after they finally get things built. ;)


	5. Respite

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> As promised, Respite is revised and combined and it is now fluffy and smells better.

 

  
Ch. 4: Respite.

 

~*~

Tai swallowed as they approached the top of the cliff, the fight for their lives having humbled him, “I’m sorry for how I acted this morning you guys. At Signal, a lot of bravado helped me stay ahead of everyone. But Summer was right, I’d rather work together with the three of you.”

Three heads turned to him in surprise.

He chuckled and raised his palms appeasingly, “Not that I’m gonna change overnight or anything. You probably still won’t like me much, but I’m gonna come at you from a place of respect, that’s all.”

They stared at him.

Qrow rolled his eyes at the half apology, “I’m not sorry I hit you in the face but I won’t do it again until you deserve it.”

Professor Itsunka made a disapproving noise in her throat. Qrow pretended not to hear.

“Thanks for the help, Professor,” Summer spoke up for her team.

The taller woman glanced at Summer, “More than any of them, the Ew’ah makes me wonder what we did to make this world so angry at us.”

~

Ozpin had a kind of laziness in his voice that made Qrow feel relaxed. The room they were gathered in was apparently Itsunka’s classroom, the only one with properly staggered stadium style seating. He was learning a lot about this place. While Itsunka taught Combat, Ozpin taught Tactics. They would also be required to attend classes in History and Medica, and would have on-off requirements in Practics and Sciences. Forging was an elective Qrow fully intended to take advantage of. He had already been forwarded his highlights and weaknesses from the day’s battles. Given the continued shittiness of his wrist, he wasn’t too worried, but brief perusal had already given him some useful insights. The school was far more than he’d expected. He and Raven were going to become sharper than cut glass.

“Kishan Sanghera, Achillea Nikos, Nakahara Kasumi, Ifrit El-Hashem, you four will comprise team KhAKI, led by Kishan Sanghera.”

“Violeta de las Campanas, Muata Omusa, Lur Aiza, Nyx Vess, you will become team VerMiLLioN, led by Violeta de las Campanas.”

“Summer Rose, Taiyang Xiao Long, Raven Branwen, and Qrow Branwen, you are now team STRQ, led by Summer Rose.”

Team STRQ. That sounded pretty sharp. Summer grabbed his arm, “Led by… He said my name?” Qrow looked at his new partner’s anxious face, imagining a hundred scarier situations than being told you’re leading a team. Remembering one, in particular, they’d just lived through. He cracked a smile at her and laid a hand on hers, “You’ve already been doing it, Sum.”

~

A lavender headed woman with a straight back explained their room assignments and how to sign up for courses. They were provided with campus maps and shown where the main dormitories, instructional buildings, and offices were located. Their first class in the morning would be Tactics and they were advised not to be late. “I don’t like to waste time,” Ozpin explained. “If you’re late, you miss content. We have a lot of work to do, so backtracking to catch people up isn’t feasible. I have office hours if you need, or perhaps your friends will help you.” Apparently lateness on day one was almost expected.

Dinner was at eight, though the commons had a light snack available in the meantime. They could pick up their uniforms at nine. Both of the Branwens curled their lips unhappily. Uniforms were for drones.

Once they were dismissed, Professor Itsunka appeared in front of them again and gave the four a hard look, “Find your room first and then report as I’ve instructed you.”

Summer and Tai hung their heads, “Yes, Professor.”

~

The dormitories formed the south wing of the main building, and the newly minted STRQ followed Summer through the quiet halls, searching for a door that was theirs. They turned out to be on the third floor, at the north end of the wing nearest to the tower and the walkway that crossed to the lecture halls. Their windows faced east toward the backcountry rather than the city of Vale. Summer and Tai set their luggage down. 

Summer sighed, looking over the sparse room, “We’ll have to figure out how we’re dividing space and furniture later. Itsunka sounded pretty serious about meeting her.” 

Tai nodded, but frowned at their partners, “Didn’t you two bring stuff from home?” 

The Branwens looked between each other and shrugged. They’d never owned anything they couldn’t carry. Sometimes that had felt sad, sacking other people’s homes and looking at the sort of lives normal people got to have. But really it just wasn’t practical. “Like what?” Raven asked, genuinely looking rather confused. Tai’s eyebrows got stuck in the air. Qrow fought the urge to facepalm. His sister had poor sense of when they should make an effort to blend in. He tried to salvage, “We’re going to be back for break in just a few weeks anyway. We’ll figure out what we need then. Travelling light is kind of our style though.” Summer nodded at him thoughtfully.

“Alright, do you think you can find Ozpin’s office okay?”

Qrow nodded, “Middle of the school and then up, right?”

Summer smirked, “See you later then. Good luck.”

~*~

“Hang on a sec, let me grab your files.”

Glynda flicked through the records from this year’s class for two ‘Branwen’ files and didn’t find them. She checked again. She checked the other drawers. She heaved the heavy sigh of the vastly underappreciated and looked back up at the dark haired siblings with sourness on her face. “You have no files. Either of you.”

The twins looked between one another and had to hide their laughter before Qrow spoke up, “We were admitted under special conditions.”

Glynda huffed her annoyance at him, “Half the class were admitted under special conditions but they at least had the decency to fill out the paperwork.” She pulled two packets out of a folder on her right and handed them across to the Branwens.

“Work on these while you’re waiting.”

“Can we borrow a couple of pens?” Raven stretched out her hand.

The third year deadpanned. “You’re students. You should have pens.” She turned away from them, muttering “Honestly!” not so quietly under her breath as she disappeared into a back room.

They looked between each other again and when she didn’t reappear, Qrow leaned over the counter and grabbed a pair of pens himself, handing one across to his sister. She shook her head, “Honestly!”

Her brother laughed. 

~

Twenty-eight minutes later (Raven hated waiting), Glynda finally approached them in the waiting area. Her gait was as precise as all of her actions. “He’s back,” she told them,

“You can go up now. The button says ‘Office.’”

“The other button said ‘Office’ too,” Raven muttered as she stood from her chair and stretched out her stiffness. Qrow looked over at the blonde, clutching papers full of agreed upon lies, “Do you want our forms, or..?”

Glynda sighed again, “Take them with you. Might as well let him have first look.” She indicated a slot in the counter, “You can drop them here when you come back down. I’ll be gone.”

~

They stepped into the cramped elevator, Qrow wondering briefly how it must have been installed too long ago for the forethought of comfort, before they were rocketed upwards at an unsettling speed. The doors opened quickly, and the young man from nowhere remembered how the person they were meeting had said that he didn’t like to waste time. They had to take pause as they stepped out into the spacious office, however. This high in the tower, the walls were all glass. It felt like walking out into the heights of the air. The ceiling was high and vaulted, but perhaps the greatest impression was made by the floor. They stepped out onto thick glass. Nearly five feet below, massive gears turned and occasionally clanked into place, the workings of a giant clock.

Raven and Qrow had flown all around the heights of Beacon tower on their first exploration of the school, and there had been no clock face. Somehow Oz had manufactured the impression of walking on the larger progression of time itself. The hour, day, and year felt insignificant and at once urgent in this room. It was a place where identities mattered less, where choices and failures mattered more.

The man at the wide glass desk was again transformed from who he had been on the cliff that morning, even from who he had been in the Combat classroom afterward, or in the small detaining room weeks before. He seemed strained and stretched here, tired as if the ever-turning machinery beneath their feet were just a fraction of his own relentless toil. 

Yet upon sighting them, his meadow flower eyes sprung to life, vitality running the length of his spine and limbs right down to the fingertips. “Ahh, Branwens,” he smiled,

“Such a pleasure to be able to meet with you again so soon.”

He stood from his seat, walking around the desk to shake both of their hands again, this time choosing to favor Raven first.

“May I offer either of you a cup of coffee? Tea? Cocoa?”

The siblings blinked between one another, weren’t they supposed to be in trouble?

Leery, they shook their heads, “No, we’re fine.”

Ozpin lifted his fingers to his lips thoughtfully, leading them back to the desk where two chairs were waiting, “Well at least have a seat.”

They did, gingerly.

He reclaimed his own chair, business sliding into the set of his shoulders, pushing some of the hospitality away. He steepled his fingers.

“Miss Branwen, I had the fortune of meeting your brother a short while ago, and as I said this morning, I am quite pleased you have both decided to attend this school.” He included both pairs of red eyes in his gaze, “Your footage from this morning’s trials is quite impressive. Both of you are remarkably acrobatic.” Dark goldenrod eyes studied them evenly, “Almost as if you have no fear of falling.” 

Raven’s chest tightened, her face paling. They had forgotten about the surveillance in their freefall after defeating the Ew’ah.

Qrow’s throat felt suddenly thick.

Ozpin drew a breath and released it, his gaze serious, “I imagine the secret behind this talent is something you would prefer not to publicize.” He sipped from a celadon mug painted with delicate cranes and replaced its lid.

The two in front of him nodded slowly.

He mirrored their gesture with care. “Qrow, you and your sister’s unique circumstances are something I have not shared with the rest of my staff, and in respect of them I chose to be the one to monitor both of your footage today. Professor Itsunka was assigned to monitor Summer, but as you know, she ended up participating in the final battle with you and therefore did not notice anything your teammates missed. She also picked up Mr. Xiao Long’s surveillance once he was paired with Raven, so no one else was privy to your last ditch landing strategy but myself. From here on, however, any assigned battles may be observed by any of your professors at Beacon.” 

He was warning them. He had made himself their ally by default. Raven disliked him for it. She didn’t like being manipulated. He was in a position to barter favors from them and they had nothing in return.

Qrow was wary as well, but something in his gut had told him to come to this school, something told him the trust of this man was valuable and to get it he would have to give some trust of his own. Whether Raven approved or not, he made the choice for himself. But there was only so much he was willing to concede.

“Thank you for your discretion, Oz.”

Ozpin’s dark brows twitched slightly at the informal name. Normally the decorum he projected toward others was reflected back at him. But it was the same name Qrow had addressed him by when they’d met in Central Sanus. He gave the younger man a cautious nod, “I don’t suppose there’s much you’d be willing to tell me about that ability?”

Raven sneered, “That lady Itsunka sent us up here to be reprimanded, I believe?”

Ozpin frowned this time. He would not have Kamaria referred to as ‘that lady.’ “Professor Itsunka did indeed speak with me about the particular form of the discord among your team this morning.” He sat back in his chair, distancing himself fractionally from the two tribespeople before him. 

“Miss Branwen, I know from the way that I encountered your brother that the two of you come from a background that sets you apart from even the most diverse experiences of the students here. I understand there are different communication strategies that might have been acceptable to you elsewhere. They are not acceptable here. You may have reacted out of habit today, but I know both of you are capable of better control. Please exhibit it going forward.”

She wrestled with being given orders by someone outside the tribe family.

Ozpin uncapped his beverage again and took a fair dreg. “Also please try to behave as though I were less understanding so you don’t give yourselves away.”

He glanced at the white papers in their laps, “Ah, I see my assistant discovered you needed paperwork.” He held out his hand.

“If I may, I’d like to make sure you didn’t wave any red flags.”

Uncomfortable, they handed the sheets across.

Ozpin laid them side by side and spent a few minutes comparing the answers. He pulled out a pen and made a couple of adjustments, handing them back across, “I want the two of you to succeed here. I wouldn’t have accepted you to this school if I didn’t think you had something extraordinary to offer. Please recopy these changes and hand them in. And please try to get along with Mr. Xiao Long. He hasn’t had it as easy as he’s been trying to make it seem. And he has more to contribute than you probably think.”

Qrow chewed his lip for a moment. This exchange had given him a lot to think about. “We’ll try.”

Ozpin nodded, “That’s all I can ask.”

As they got up and headed back toward the elevator, Ozpin noticed the Qrow’s bracelet again and called out to him, “Oh yes, Qrow.” The twin in question turned around as

Raven impatiently stabbed at the elevator button. “Please get your wrist looked over by the Medica professor tomorrow.” 

Qrow winced. Raven pulled him into the elevator car and pressed the other ‘Office’ button as quickly as she could. The doors closed and the car dropped.

Her fingers tightened on his arm. They returned to the office where Glynda had been and she growled under her breath, “Ugh, I can’t stand that guy. Who does he think he is?”

Qrow shrugged, rubbing his wrist worriedly.

“I have half a mind to turn these papers in just as they are, let people wonder what kind of strings he’s pulling at.”

Her brother snorted, “I don’t think that would help us out any.”

She scowled, “Well he thinks he’s got us in his pocket now.”

Qrow reached over the counter and grabbed another pair of packets, “That’s only if we let him feel that way.”

He handed one to her, “But really, it would be to our advantage not to make an enemy of him.”

Raven scowled again but her brother pressed her with his muddy stare. Searching his eyes, she calmed herself, “Alright,” she said, “I still think he’s arrogant though.”

 

~*~ 

 

When they arrived back at their room, Summer and Tai were sitting in the middle of the floor, pouring over the course catalog, their luggage untouched from where they’d dropped it an hour ago.

Raven went directly for the nearest bed, plopping down with her arm flung across her eyes.

Summer raised an eyebrow at Qrow, “Went that well, huh?”

Qrow shrugged, sinking down at his partner’s side to get a look at the listings, “Conflict of personalities.”

Summer gave a gentle smile and nudged his shoulder, “You look tired too. We should probably figure out which bed is whose so we can get settled before dinner.”

Raven’s free hand thumped the mattress beside her, “I call this one,” she mumbled through her sleeve.

Tai stared across at his partner, not sure what to make of her still, “We were thinking about maybe lofting some of them.”

Raven pushed herself up on her elbows grudgingly, “Neither Qrow nor I are taking a bottom bunk.”

Taiyang turned out his hands towards their leader, “Weren’t we just talking about communication?”

Summer shrugged, turning a page, “We were. I don’t know what Ozpin said to them. Why don’t you give it a try?”

Tai looked startled at her nonchalance. He hadn’t really thought he’d be called upon to initiate better synergy.

She gave him a moment to come up with something and then sighed, “State your feelings or ask a question.”

He blinked at her and then thought for a second before turning his eyes to Raven’s, “That seems rather demanding. Why?”

Raven dropped herself back onto the bed, replacing her arm over her tired face, “We get paranoid in poorly defensible situations.”

“Would you prefer the beds unlofted?” Summer asked, glancing at her partner as well.

Raven shrugged, “I can see the merits of it. You guys have a lot of stuff.”

“We do like heights,” Qrow offered.

“I feel like I’d feel cramped in a bottom bunk,” Tai complained.

Summer calmly turned her page again, “Why don’t we loft all of them? It might look weird but we might all be more comfortable.”

She got up and paced around the room, “So, if we agree with Raven that defense is something we should always consider, the back corners,” she gestured, “away from the door are the best spot to use. We could make two L shapes there. Should we split up by gender, by partners, or do the two of you prefer to stay together?”

The twins made disgusted faces at each other, “We’re close but we don’t need to be that close.”  Summer smirked at them.

Tai looked around, piecing through the situation, “I think we should probably split by partners. That’s who we’re going to be responsible for looking after in the field. We may as well learn to get along here.” He walked over to look down at Raven, “That okay with you?” 

She shrugged, “Sure, that sounds fine. Do we have to do this now or can we do it after dinner?”

He offered her a hand up, “Now is probably better. We’re only going to get more tired.”

Qrow had to admit he was impressed. Whatever Itsunka had said to these two was already working. He thought about Oz’s advice. Honestly there probably was a lot they could all learn from each other. With a twinge he wondered how Som and Bayard were faring. Were they being molded just as expertly? He rubbed his wrist unconsciously, thinking of them. He hoped they were alright.

He also hoped when he saw them again they would still consider him a friend.

~

Taiyang turned out to be quite handy with getting the beds lofted. He was showing more and more of his brains but it was obvious he had the brawn.

They were finished, sort of, in time for dinner. The frames were up but mattresses and sheets and pillows were still on the floor.

The dining hall was a raucous mess of excited teens. The first years all looked tired and the elder students were just getting back from summer break. The kitchen staff looked harassed but still managed to answer questions and smile indulgently.

They saw team KAKI and were waved over to sit next to them. The eight traded initiation stories over their hearty—if moderately questionable—meals.  
Sanghera’s team were especially interested in the Ew’ah. News had apparently travelled fast today. Kishan and Kasumi were also morbidly fascinated with the fact STRQ had had to report to Ozpin and Itsunka right on the first day. Ifrit and Achillea both seemed more reserved, if for different reasons. Summer noticed the twins used slightly different table manners than what she was used to. Careful, but vaguely Mistrali. Tai’s gestures were common, but more simple. His blue eyes were also widely darting, taking in all the different kinds of people in the hall. Summer recalled he’d mentioned he was from Patch. She’d never visited but she knew it was a small place. After her talk with Itsunka, she felt her first order of business was to connect with him. Qrow and she were already such a natural fit she wasn’t worried about him. Interested, sure, but not worried. Raven would be more of a challenge, she supposed. Maybe it would be better to approach her through familiarity with the boys?

“Hey Tai,” she proposed, not meaning to engage him when he had a mouthful of food.

He managed to chew and swallow his bite of steak before nodding back at her, “What’s up?”

She smiled, “I was thinking maybe after dinner you and I can get us registered for uniforms and lockers and we can let the twins head back up and finish the room and have a bit of peace from us.”

The Branwens looked between each other and Summer realized they were always going to be suspicious until the team coalesced. They didn’t offer argument, though, which probably meant they were grateful for a bit of time away from everyone.

Tai looked back up at her and shrugged as he used his knife to shovel an ill-advised amount of mashed potatoes onto his fork, “Sure.”

She directed her look back at the twins, “Do you know what sizes you’d wear?” 

Raven nodded, “Yeah, we’ll ping you.”

~

 

 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> preserved notes:  
> visiting portland and my friend's dogs are so stupid cute
> 
> goodness it's been a while. i have had a really bad mental health week just recently. that aside, management keeps just.. not replacing my coworkers... i've been working too much overall, and working hard enough for two people much of the time. my gums are starting to bleed.
> 
> you should know that future chapters and world details are being worked on and there is something i'm really nerdishly excited to show you that will be cropping up next chapter. also, i can't imagine i'll actually use it, but i wrote a binding ceremony bit and i'll find a way to share it. maybe when this fic starts to get really depressing.


	6. With Class pt. I

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> i promised to consolidate Respite and i will. so much work always in the way. With Class is going to go up in parts as well. next installment should feature the kilt incident as well as the introduction of twin code. expect it vaguely monday-ish? i got stuck entertaining during what should have been my time off this week, so that set things back. not that we didn't have fun. dear gods did we have fun. i wish it had been longer.

~

With Class, pt 1

~

They walked back in to find beds made, Branwens showered and dressed down for the night, luggage sorted by owner and the twins quietly talking on Raven’s bed as they worked together to clean _Pleading_.  _Choice_ required less frequent care, and was mounted over Qrow’s bed on the other side of the window.  The two acknowledged their partners with quiet nods as they entered and Summer and Tai pulled out their nightclothes and headed for the bathrooms themselves. 

Given the makeup of their team, they lived on a co-ed floor.  Summer went down a level to the ladies’ washroom, while Tai headed up.  When they returned, the siblings were in much the same position, though _Pleading_ was once again intact and mounted herself.  Tai spoke up for the two of them, “Do you mind if we unpack a little more?”  Raven looked down at him and shook her head, “No, go ahead.  We’re actually working on a list of things we might want to buy in town to finish setting this room up.” 

Summer brightened at the idea that they were considering the team seriously, “That’s perfect, what are you looking at so far?”  Raven leaned forward and hung an arm downward to pass a notebook to her.  “Mostly, we’re thinking of building something over the window to connect the two L’s, and some kind of futon or kotatsu for the main floor.  What do you think of using the desks like that to make an entryway?”  Summer glanced over the diagram.  “It looks good to me,” she offered, passing it over to Tai, “Working that close should keep us pretty well on task, I’d imagine.”  He glanced at the diagram and again around the room, “It looks intimidating,” he commented, “And that crosspiece over the window should be an easy build.  Nice work.”

Summer smiled, looking up at the pair, “Have you thought about electives yet?”  Qrow shrugged a shoulder, “I’m taking Forging.”  Raven looked carefully down at her partner, “Actually, Tai, we did talk, and we both think _Apology_ & _Acceptance_ (she almost managed to keep her face straight) could do with a bit of an upgrade.  Maybe you should consider that class as well.” 

Summer handed him the catalogue from her pile of things, and dug out her whiteboard, making a quick schedule and mounting it on her and Qrow’s side of the room:

Monday/Wednesday: Tactics, Combat, Medica, Lunch, Trauma Psychology, History, Dinner.

Tuesday/Thursday: Tactics, Combat, Medica, Lunch, Practics, Grimm Studies, Dinner.

Friday: Physical Elective, Combat, Lunch, Science, Personal Elective, Dinner.

“Itsunka said some of the classes fill up more quickly than others, so it’s best if we can figure it out tonight.”

Raven nodded from her perch, “I’m going to take Negotiation 1 this semester, I think.”

Summer smiled brightly, “That’s what I was thinking too!  It would be nice to have a study partner.”  Raven gritted her teeth but made no comment.

Tai rolled his eyes at her academic enthusiasm as he studied a page in front of him, “What about our physical electives?  They have offerings in all kinds of martial art systems.  Do you think we should split up according to our personal styles or should we take something we can practice together?”

Raven shrugged, “I’ve always been interested in Systema.”

Taiyang glanced over the blurb, “That sounds good, but I was hoping to take Itsunka’s class, especially after today.”

Summer nodded, “I was hoping for something more traditional, honestly.  My training is sort of all over the place.”

Qrow looked down at his new partner, “I was thinking of Aikido.  Raven and I know a good amount of Gung Fu and Kenjutsu.”

Summer hummed.  “Maybe we can set aside some time on Saturdays to teach one another?  We’re definitely going to need to do some off-hours work for cohesion reasons at minimum.”

Surprising her, her teammates all murmured agreement.

“Okay, Dambe for Tai, Systema for Raven, Aikido for Qrow.”  She looked up at her partner, nervous for the first time since that morning, “Actually, would you mind if I took that one with you?  It says it’s good for people with smaller builds.”  Qrow nodded encouragingly, “Yeah, I think that’d actually be great for you from what I’ve seen.”

He glanced at Raven and Tai, “Maybe next semester we can all get together for Capoeira or something a little more fun.”

Raven huffed next to him, “Sure, Qrow, fun.  That’s why we’re here.”  He smirked and bumped her shoulder, “You never know, Rave, you might like it.”

 

 

~*~

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> so sorry so short. just want to keep something coming out for you. but yes, i know, so short. i also plan an edit overhaul to clean up earlier chapters. prolly when i condense Respite. for now, my knees hurt and it's back to work anyway. ;\


	7. With Class pt. II

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Well it's not Monday anymore, or even Tuesday, but you know what this means? It's Wednesday. Is anyone else watching American Gods?

~

An idea had occurred to Tai while he was waiting in line to pick up uniforms with Summer.  He’d been pondering since the argument at the pond how he was going to interact with this group now that he’d decided to do so.  From their fights with Grimm and especially the Ew’ah, it was clear that these were valuable partners to have on the battlefield.  But with the twins’ unhinged personalities and Summer’s uptight one, it was also clear they were going to be difficult people outside of combat.  He also got the feeling that the other three had somehow silently agreed that he was the least of them.

That was not how he wanted to start the next four years.

Honestly what he’d wanted were new friends, cute girls, and some adventure.  Not three dangerous people who disliked him.  His parents had separately told him he always made wrong choices when he was uncomfortable.  He let his tongue run away from him and said things that dug him into holes.  Both his mom and his dad had seemed to have given up trying to help him learn to stop stubbing toes.  They just wanted him home for dinner in one piece when they got back from work.  And if he could have it started for them more’s the better.  He wasn’t sure if he liked taking care of people or if it was just a habit, but he’d heard that combat teams became close like family.  And that was what he really wanted.  He wanted somewhere where he felt like he belonged.  And he didn’t want to be a burden.

Now, sure, he could do things the long way and keep his tail between his legs until he proved himself to these wackos.  But here’s the thing: he was their equal.  They were all different from one another, sure, but no one was any more or any less.  How to show them that? 

From where he was standing, they thought of him as their tank.  Useful in a fight, sure, or if you needed some heavy shit carried, but not so much if you needed to solve a problem.  In order to solve _that_ problem, he would have to outsmart them. 

Now, he didn’t want to do something retaliatory to the three of them.  He didn’t want to start some all versus one crap or he really would be looking for a new team.  He’d promised to be respectful of Summer.  And Raven was supposed to be his partner, even if she had threatened him with a giant ōdachi and a terrifying coldness in her blood red eyes. 

Qrow had hit him in the face.  And he just really didn’t appreciate that.  He was not their punching bag.

Mud and _stones_ his team needed to lighten up.

And that was where he had his idea.

~

Summer and he had split up into different lines to try to speed up the process, and he volunteered for the easier job of picking up their uniforms.  No forms to sign or packets to go over there.  While they were walking back, he had chatted with her a bit, but before they reached the dorms he had pulled her aside. 

“Summer, I really want our team to work out, and I really think one of the things we need to do is lighten up a bit.  So I’m going to do something stupid tomorrow morning and I promise to owe you a favor of your choosing if you just act like it’s totally normal.”

She raised a skeptical eyebrow and he could tell she was about to argue.  He waved his hands placatingly, “I swear it’s totally harmless, but if you disagree, disagree then, okay?”

She frowned at him, “Tai, if you’re still pissed off at the twins—”

“I am.  But I’m willing to get past it.  Like Itsunka said, we don’t know each other yet.  Time and a willing attitude, or something, right?”

Just as Itsunka had phrased it, ‘or something.’

Summer leveled her grey eyes at him, “I can still disagree if I want to, I just have to wait to disagree in the moment, is that what you said?”

Tai nodded, fixing his most earnest blue stare on her and carefully placing a hand very lightly on the farthest edge of her shoulder, “Exactly.”

She shrugged, “Okay, whatever.”

~

Morning in the STRQ room was less chaos than one might have expected.  Summer was a habitual early riser and the Branwen twins looked like they’d had trouble sleeping at all.  So when Tai’s alarm finally went off, he popped up to see the other three seated in the middle of the floor, looking over class schedules and room plans, the Branwens keeping one another propped up on their shoulders.  Raven immediately put hands to her ears at the sound of his alarm music, “Ughh, turn that awful thing off, will you?”

He mashed at the buttons on his scroll to end one of his favorite songs and climbed groggily down to join them, rubbing his arms against the chill, “I think you guys are onto something with that kotatsu idea.”

Raven pulled the shitty academy provided blanket tighter around her shoulders and nodded, “What’d you do with our lame uniforms?”

Tai pressed his eyes closed in a plea for less morning, “Gimme a second to wake up and I’ll grab them.  At least the colors aren’t too embarrassing.”

Qrow also closed his eyes, “I hope they have some lighter stuff for breakfast this morning.  I can’t eat like yesterday this early.”

Summer nodded, “I think they were just trying to give us enough energy for a hard day and make people feel welcome away from home, but from what I’ve heard, the food here is overall pretty varied.”

Raven squinted at her, “You seem to have heard a lot more than we have.  How long have you been hoping to come here anyway?”

Summer flushed red, “Since I was a kid really.  My mom’s a psychologist but she used to know Ozpin way back, I guess, so his school has always been the one to aim for.” 

Qrow huffed slightly, “That’s why he doesn’t call you Miss or whatever then.”

Summer smiled, “He’s been around our house too much for that.  I remember one time he and my dad made this incredible roast chicken for my mom’s birthday.”

Tai pulled himself off the floor and headed for the plastic bag with their uniforms in it, “Teacher’s pet,” he teased.

Summer watched him carefully but didn’t betray her suspicions, “Seriously though, it had this honey glaze… it was so amazing.” 

Tai handed Raven, herself, and Qrow each a clear plastic bag with a Beacon blazer visible in it.

He sighed in frustration, “That sounds awesome but now I’m starving.  Let’s change and get down there.”

Raven and Summer winced and Summer laid a hand on the taller girl’s arm, “Why don’t we change upstairs.”  The Branwen girl sucked in a breath between her teeth, “I’m really not in the mood for a bunch of chattering girls right now but I guess until we get some curtains or something.”

Summer gave her a compassionate smile and stood to grab her things.

Tai was already stripping off his shirt, completely uncaring, “We’ll meet you downstairs then I guess?”

“Yeah,” Summer called, “Save some of those pancakes for me.”

“You got it.”

Qrow saw the nervous tautness in his twin’s back and raised a fist to his sister, “Hey Rave.”

She turned back and suddenly her features melted in relief as she walked back to bump fists with her brother, “Tir y Bas,” he started, smiling, “y Tir y Odin,” she finished with a grin.

~

They got in the cafeteria line and Summer watched Raven pour her coffee right into a tall plastic water glass—the deepest thing available, and decided the other girl had a lot of sense.  She copied the move and looked for Achillea’s red hair, hoping to catch up with KAKI again before classes began.

What they got instead was Kasumi, the loud Mistrali girl with the blue hair, picking up right where they’d left off yesterday and talking a mile a minute, quickly rehashing the Ew’ah story, calling the STRQ girls rebellious for having been scolded by top level staff, murmuring appreciatively over Raven’s ōdachi, only to be cut off by laughter and whistles from the far end of the dining hall.  The three girls turned their heads and the STRQ two immediately facepalmed in shame while Kasumi’s jaw dropped wide open.  A moment later she was tugging desperately at Raven’s sleeve, “Isn’t that your brother?  In a skirt?”

Without uncovering her eyes, Raven winced at the sound of Qrow’s familiar morning temper rising above the rest of the commotion, “Look, I barely fucking slept and I am really fucking hungry and I really don’t give a shit about your stupid dress code right now, I just want some fucking food in my system or…”

Summer shoved her tray into Kasumi’s hands and strode in quick steps across the hall, white cape flaring out behind her till she made it to her partner’s side, lowering his raised arm and stepping between him and a taller student in proper male dress, fixing the guy with a no-nonsense glare until he stood down.  She turned to Qrow, hand still on his arm, and sighed, schooling her features into a gentle expression, “What did Tai do now?”  Qrow cocked his head at her, red eyes irritated and expression cranky, before looking pointedly down at his legs and back up at her, “He was dressed the same when I left him, made a big fuss about kilts and uniforms in general being stupid before claiming he had to take a shit.” 

Summer bit her lip, taking in her partner’s state of dress and distress in a glance before covering her face with her free hand and chuckling herself, “He said he was going to get you back for hitting him in the face, but I didn’t expect him to be inventive about it.”  Qrow deadpanned at her.  Still laughing, she tugged on his arm, “Come on, let’s get you some breakfast.”  Grumbling under his breath, he allowed the shorter girl to lead him. 

Kasumi was bright red from trying to hold in her laughter as she handed Summer’s tray back to her, merry brown eyes darting repeatedly between Qrow’s legs and his face.  He glowered at her, “Yes, Nakahara?”  She stopped trying to hold in her laughter, letting it spill for a moment before taking a deep breath to gather herself, “Nothing, it’s just you have really nice legs.”  Raven groaned, pinching the bridge of her nose to ward off an embarrassment headache, willing this incident to be over with. 

It wasn’t.  Achillea turned as red as her hair as they joined team KAKI’s table.  Kishan shook his head in amusement, but held out his hand to shake Qrow’s, “Very brave, my friend, very brave.”  Ifrit was the first to notice Taiyang—in normal pants—finally joining the dining hall.

Qrow’s face relaxed as his eyes followed his teammate through the line, a hint of an artful smile playing over his handsome features.  Summer recognized mischief when she saw it, placing a careful hand on her partner’s arm once more.  Qrow chuckled to himself as Tai sauntered up with a smug look and a plate of breakfast.

“Morning Tai,” Qrow offered sweetly.

“Morning Qrow,” Tai grinned back, boldly taking the seat across from the Branwen.

“Didn’t find your kilt comfortable?”

Tai frowned, “No, mine was itchy.  Had to switch it out for the pants.”

Qrow watched the blond over his mug as he took a sip of coffee, “Funny, my set didn’t come with pants.”

“Huh,” Tai commented, shoveling runny eggs into his mouth, “That’s odd.”

Qrow nodded to himself, looking around the table, “It is, isn’t it?”

Kishan and Kasumi were staring back and forth between the two, eyebrows raised and ready for more excitement.

Achillea and Raven trained their eyes on their plates.

Sadly, they missed Qrow’s smile.

“Ifrit, I’m sorry,” he began, “I’m going to have to—” In a flash, Qrow’s hands darted out, grabbing Tai’s tie and Ifrit’s porridge, standing and leaning across the table to smash the blond’s head into the bowl, using his weight and both arms to hold it there as his teammate flailed, “get you a new bowl of this in just a second.”  He let Tai up.  The whole table whooped in laughter.  Tai wiped porridge from his eyes and nose, sputtering and coughing. 

Summer smiled, “As your captain, I have to say, I feel like that seems fair.” 

Raven reached into the bowl and scooped the rest out, smearing it back onto Tai’s face and patting his messy cheek, “Yeah, I think so.”  Qrow looked around at their new friends, “KAKI, you want to weigh in on this?” 

Achillea was crying she was laughing so hard.  Kasumi picked up her napkin and patronizingly cleaned Tai’s face for him.  The blond was laughing with the rest of them.  

Ifrit shrugged, “As long as somebody replaces my breakfast it’s fine with me.”  Tai coughed again, dunking his own napkin into his water so he could wipe off the rest of the food, wheezing but grinning, “I’ll get you a new one.  If Qrow gets up everyone’s probably going to whistle again.” 

Kishan clapped in approval and many nearby students who had witnessed the exchange joined in.  Qrow grinned across at his porridge-covered new friend, “My, what a gentleman.”

They were all still laughing when the bell rang for passing time.

Raven cringed and repeated the mantra they’d exchanged before fighting the Ew’ah, “Tir y Bas, right?”  Qrow nodded, carefully climbing off the bench in his skirt, “Yep, Tir y Odin.”

Summer raised an eyebrow at them, “What does that mean?”

Qrow shrugged his shoulders, watching his sister’s eyes, “Essentially, ‘Fuck it.’”  Raven smiled.

 

~*~

 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Land of Death, Land of Odin. (Welsh)
> 
>  
> 
> Remember whose class is first? Once our beautiful team makes it through their first day we're jumping ahead to fall break. After which their time at Beacon is going to pretty much zip by.
> 
> If anyone has particular feelings about KAKI, I'd love to hear them. I'm rather more pleased with the adults I've added/will be adding but I hope the fellow students play well enough. Can't have a school with empty halls.


	8. With Class pt. III

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> the first two hours

 

~*~

Glynda did not know why she had taken this job.  This man was insane.  Every time she turned around he wanted her to do something else.  Organize this, tear apart that, figure out where to find outdated and incorrect maps, buy herself better shoes for trekking across the wilderness.  And of course fix all the messes anyone else made ever.  Just because her semblance was telekinesis he thought she didn’t mind essentially being both janitor and secretary.

Or, apparently, being deserted in weird catacombs beneath the school and told to be back up in lecture by nine to open up his class for him because he was going to be late.

Seriously, screw that guy.

There was weird stuff down here.  Her confidentiality agreement should have been forty pages long and signed by two lawyers.  Instead Ozpin had shared yet another terrifying secret with her.  From what Itsunka and Cressida had said, that was pretty much his standard recruitment policy.

Not to make you afraid of crossing him.  But to make you afraid of screwing up his mission to protect everyone you knew.  If he asked for help it was because he needed to put his attention elsewhere.

She had a sneaking suspicion what she was really doing down here was refortifying things for him.  Clearly no one should wander into this room by mistake of even on purpose, ever, so she took away the door, moved the wall out of her way, and sealed it thicker behind her.

~

Of course, as erratic as he was, he was also precise as her, so while she’d made it up to the Tactics room by 8:35 to set things up according to his nearly indecipherable lesson ‘plans,’ he’d shown up at about 5 minutes to nine, placed a hand on her shoulder, and handed her an entirely different plan for the day.  She was distracted from silently seething under a cool façade by whistles and applause from the first years as that damn STRQ team walked in, with Qrow Branwen bowing—and in a skirt.  Her jaw dropped open and she was sure the bags under her eyes darkened into deep bruises.  Ozpin simply chuckled beside her and tapped the title of the new plan in her hands: “Landing Strategy.”  If she could have rolled her eyes harder they would have turned backwards in her skull.

He pretended to be annoyed with the commotion, grinding out a grouchy sounding “Good morning class,” before rolling his eyes at their reply.

“Team STRQ,” he called out, “In the future, I would appreciate it if you would avoid wearing …porridge… to class.”

The boys looked at one another, no doubt at fault for each other’s situations.  “Of course,” Branwen replied, followed by Xiao Long’s “Yes sir.”

Ozpin broke and snickered briefly before extending a hand to introduce Glynda, “Miss Goodwitch is your TA for this class, as well as my office assistant.  Should you need anything from her, please treat her with the utmost respect.”  Glynda pursed her lips.  Sure, now he decided to be polite.  He continued, “I have to admit I am rather disappointed in all of your performance so far.”  For fuck’s sake.  Glynda willed herself not to roll her eyes in front of everyone.  The professor went on, “In one particular skill.  You are all rather bad at being dropped out of the sky.”  His eyes landed on the boy in the skirt.  There was no mercy in his soul.  “Let’s work on that today.”

~

After a thoroughly embarrassing hour, Qrow was thrilled to walk into Itsunka’s classroom, where he could wear his regular clothes and his dignity for a minute.  Unfortunately Itsunka met everyone at the doorway on their way in, reminding them to head to their lockers first.  She gave him one long look up and down and sighed dispiritedly, “That some kind of joke?”  No wind for his sails, he met her eyes directly, “It is, but it’s not one of mine.”  She shook her head and waved him on, “Five minutes.”

~

Once they were assembled, she folded her hands behind her back and surveyed them carefully, “Normally your Headmaster and I try to coordinate our lessons so you can apply what your learned from him in this hour.  He had to go off the map today, so I’ll explain our overall theme for you.  We know most of you have some basic combat training.  What we’re here to do is stretch your abilities.  We intend to do this both by breaking your bad habits and by introducing new ones that will make you stronger out in the world.  To build on an old site you must to first raze the grounds.  You have been given teams.  Before you can grow together, you need to know each other’s weaknesses.”  She smiled slightly, “I like to call this week ‘infighting.’  We’ll start today with those of you who are likely to be closest.”  Her eyes lifted to team STRQ, “Branwens, you are this year’s only siblings.  Please spar.”

Both twins paled noticeably. 

Raven shook her head.  Qrow swallowed.  This was too much like home.

“We are here to learn, and in this class especially, we are going to have to trust one another so that no one gets terribly injured.  I remember the first time I was asked to fight someone I cared about under the public eye.  I was pissed as hell.”

She scanned their faces.  “This isn’t Atlas.  We are not trying to teach obedience at Beacon.  We are trying to teach critical thinking.  The two of you are among the top fighters in this room.  But the point of this class is to become better.  So we need to find out what you need to work on.  Most likely the two of you already know this about one another. 

“The intention of this week is not to break you down.  Probably the most important thing about a team in combat is that you pick up one another’s slack.  If, for example, Raven is strong but not fast, and Qrow is fast but not strong, they can look out for each other.  They will be able to read the moments in a battle where one is more suited to take the brunt of an attack than the other.  Working together is as much about our faults as it is our strengths.  We can show each other where and sometimes how to improve, but more importantly, when one person is in greater danger than we are, we can protect them.”

Qrow looked long at his sister.  This entire school went against Raven’s worldview.

“I’m not asking you to reveal each other’s secrets.  Just give us something to work with by way of demonstration if you wouldn’t mind.  Pretend you’re fighting about something personal if it helps.  Try to think rationally though, giving emotion too much space in a combat situation can be deadly.  Please come down to the floor.”

They did at least that much, putting themselves on the stocks almost out of habit.  They looked across at one another.  Maybe this wasn’t so different from home.  Maybe here they didn’t have to try so hard to be different.  Qrow stepped forward, “Hey, Raven, remember that time I found these rings?”

He held up his right hand and wiggled his fingers.  In a particular pattern.  _..

They had argued about the rings.  Bitterly.  But the message overrode the words.  He watched her hand against her weapon and she mirrored it back to him:  _.. 

Their eyes watched each other dangerously.  They slowed their breathing into a state of calmness, watching each other for any signs. 

His fingers curled against _Choice_ :  .._

Her palm spread away from Pleading by a hair slowly and then connected suddenly: _!_

Their blades met.  Again and again, viciously.  She chased him and she cornered him and she chased him again.  The difference with Raven is she never ran.  They were sweating thickly and their throats were heaving by the time Itsunka called them off each other.  They walked forward with hard eyes to clasp one another’s forearms, fingers both pressing into flesh discreetly:  _.. 

They stepped apart and bowed to acknowledge a round well played.

Everyone in the class had lost color in their faces watching them.  There were a great many things they would not be sharing with their classmates, but in a combat school, being top notch was not something you could easily hide.

“Good bout,” Itsunka praised.  “There’s water in the cooler there.”

“Violeta and Lur,” she called, “You’re next.”

After that she made Kishan and Kasumi fight.  Each team’s closest pair.

Interestingly, none of them were partners.

~*~


	9. With Class IV

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> I can't believe every american was born today. I also can't believe this country elected that asshole. I'm sorry, friends. Please enjoy your pet eagles while they last because there is no way they're getting medical coverage.
> 
> Hmm, I'm probably not supposed to talk about that but hey, like, whatever.
> 
> Here is the final part of With Class

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hello friends! Sorry I have been gone for a while—I fucked up my knee and therefore the overall balance of my life. I have also come to a point where I have been forced to make some choices about the overall political background of this story. I have decided to set the Faunus Rights Revolution within STRQ’s academy years, and I have had to make some choices about the level and direction of purpose of the Tribe at this particular time. I also have some thoughts about Qrow’s connection to non-Raven people within the tribe, and am excited to flesh these out within the next few chapters. Because she isn’t the sole source of his identity. Arguably he is defined more by their differences than their similarities.

~*~

Medica was Medica.

Putting people back together again was not really either of the Branwens’ style. They already knew the basics anyway.

Professor Peach first offered to look over any injuries from the previous hour, and then launched into Intro to Field Medicine, beginning with what’s clean and what isn’t outside.

Not halfway through, Raven tapped her notebook with her pencil’s eraser: _.. Bored.

Qrow responded in kind: _.. Bored/Agreement.

Summer was taking notes furiously and Tai was paying full attention as well.

Qrow sighed and tapped his notebook again: _ _ Ditch?

Raven replied, this time with her fingers: _.. ˙·. _ _ Yes, Conference, Ditch.

He met her eyes and then glanced toward the door. Most days he was better at inconspicuously sneaking out of a room. Not today, though. She would have to go first.

He waited a minute after she was gone to make sure no one had noticed before raising his hand. Professor Peach called on him right away, “Ah yes, Mr. Branwen.”

“You’re going to want to pull away in the direction parallel to how the bone originally lay; you don’t want to try pushing it where you think it should go. Make sure you have a good grip too. Can you tell me where to find the restroom?”

Professor Peach hummed in a bit of disagreement, “That’s only if you’re sure you can’t get someone more qualified to the patient in a safe amount of time.”  
Qrow controlled his annoyance, “Yes, of course.”

“Make a right out the door then it’s down the next hall on the left.”

“Thanks.”

~

Nyx Vess bumped his shoulder on their way to lunch, talking too loudly to his partner Lur, “Yeah, Itsunka’s class was kind of a letdown, you know? I really wanted to see Branwen fight in that dress.” Qrow lengthened his strides just slightly so when he turned and stopped he was right in Vess’ face, “I’d be happy to show you right now if you wanna skip lunch.” 

Summer deftly hooked his elbow and had him walking again, “I don’t want to skip lunch. Psych class in nowhere to be on an empty stomach.” She was quickly learning the twins would not be holding each other back. She’d have to mention that to Tai. 

Steering them to the less crowded side of the hallway, she lowered her voice for her partner’s ears, “Honestly, I don’t know why anyone’s picking fights with you after that. You and Raven are quite something.” Qrow chewed the inside of his lip, “Thanks.” 

She watched her partner carefully, “I noticed there was a moment where she had you though.” His red eyes glanced down at her, “There usually is.” Summer nodded. She had seen it in the dynamic between them. He was careful. Raven was just that bit more dangerous than he was. But it was enough and he knew it. She didn’t let the topic linger. 

“Where did you go during Medica?” Qrow smiled briefly and shrugged, “We got bored so we left.” Summer missed a step as she stared at him, “You got bored so you left?” It was his turn to drag her along, looking at her like she had something wrong with her hearing, “Yes?” She jabbed him in the ribs, “It’s school! You can’t just leave.” 

He rolled his eyes, “I know how to, and how not to set bones, Summer.” He’d done it both ways enough times.

~

Their next class was legitimately listed in the course book as “Trauma Psych 101: Compassion & Coping (Sorry Kids),” with Tiamat Ea. Raven was not looking forward to it. They filed into a darkened lecture theatre, a welcome contrast from Ozpin throwing them off towers and Itsunka setting them against one another. No one appeared at the front of the class until five minutes past the hour, when illumination from a projection tool lit up a large screen and a circle of dim light appeared around a podium. Qrow by this time was feeling about done with dramatic flair. But the figure that came before them was stilted, bundled in a large sweater despite the season, younger than even their other professors had seemed to be. 

She coughed awkwardly into the microphone, and studied a sheaf of papers in front of her before beginning, “Hello class, my name is Tiamat. You can call me that, Tia, or whatever you want. I want to apologize to you in advance for the awkwardness of the next couple weeks. By the third week or so into the semester you should see me starting to gain the ground under my feet again. Many of my colleagues and close friends feel strongly that this is not the right way for me to introduce myself to you. But I wanted you to be able to catch a glimpse of what the life you are aspiring to can do to a person. 

“I have studied your enrollment applications closely, and I promise not to reveal anything about anyone except for myself, but I can tell you that this room is 85% trauma survivors. And those few of you who don’t quite meet that criterion have had other hardships as well. There are 32 of you in this room, 33 including myself, and I can tell you that among us there are 8 rape or sexual assault survivors. There are 22 people who have seen someone die personally. There are 19 whose homes have been attacked, either by our fellow people or by manifestations of Grimm. We have 17 people whose lives have been directly threatened, 12 people who come from unloving households, 9 people who are missing at least one parent, and 8 people who have had the unfortunate experience of hurting another person, whether this was felt to be by choice or coercion. As you well know, the idea of the ‘nuclear family’ has largely been erased by the struggles of war, prejudice, and our dedicated neighbors the Grimm. We in this room are largely gathered here because these experiences have shaped us, have made us feel we would be lost without a cause to fight for. Many of us come from CPTSD backgrounds. And even if that had not been the case, this career leads down a path that can destroy us personally, mentally, physically, and emotionally with careless ease.

“So the point of this class, much like Medica and Tactics, is to learn to identify, aide, and compensate for one another’s personal wounds or ailments. Only here we are not talking about what can be seen. Your teammates’ mental state and personal background are just as important on the battlefield as their physical condition and skill level. It is monumentally important that you learn to support one another from a whole person standpoint. This job is dangerous. It becomes more dangerous when you don’t know whether your partner is going to be able to support you or not. This is the primary reason you have been assigned partners and teams. If you do not have a support network, you will not last a year in the field. I have seen people, personally dear people to me, die because they felt they did not have people they could rely on in times or weakness. I have been personally crushed by the problems that plague our world to the point that I could not open the door to leave my room. I have needed to rely on others to get myself fed, to brush my hair, to keep me alive when I had no will to do so.

“I have found help to come back from those feelings. It is not always enough. But there are people in my life who will not give up on me, and because of them I am still here. They have reminded me to believe in this fight. They have reminded me it is okay, it is forgivable, to breakdown, to breathe, to survive. It is our sincere hope that you can do this for each other.

“I am not trying to attack or to frighten you. This is a worthy cause. I would die for it. Still.

“I am here to be honest with you, and to invite you to be honest with me, about the fact that none of this is fucking easy. Together this semester we are going to learn how to talk to one another. We are going to learn how to be careful with one another while still pushing one another forward. We are going to endeavor to understand why some among us are jerks sometimes, while at the same time making certain we don’t allow people to be jerks to us. We are going to try to see that our companions are not useless when they are having a bad day or a bad moment. We are going learn to try to forgive ourselves when we are the ones being jerks or when we are the ones who lack power.

“Much of your homework for this class is going to be awkward introspection, awkward conversation, or unenjoyable reading. I wish we were here to study butterflies and honeydew but we are not.  
“Today, as you can probably tell, is not a good day for me. I am normally supported by not only loving and inspiring persons, but by chemical assistance. I wanted you do see what I am like without that component of my support system, so that, as I seem to self-repair in the coming weeks you understand that it is only with help that I am able to stand strong, and that you should never feel ashamed for needing help. Of any kind. 

“That said, my wife is waiting to take my home before I truly lose it in front of all of you on your first day. This class normally runs longer, but we all feel you could do with a break on your first day. Before I let her steal me away, I have a packet for team leaders to pick up that contains a list of area businesses that offer discounts to students of Beacon. We want you to be able to find comfort both within and outside of these walls. Please make use of these places for team building as well as personal peace when you need it. Have a meal together as a team. Wander the museum with your partner. Visit the harbor alone when you are in need of solitude, but remember that breakfast is good for you.

“This packet also includes a team building questionnaire that I expect you to work through at your own pace throughout the semester.

“Alright, I need to get to some blankets, my cat, and my wife’s reliable cooking.

“Take care, and please follow directly to History even though it’s ahead of schedule. Your professor is expecting you.”

~

Qrow fell asleep during history class. It was neither vital, useful, nor morbidly fascinating as the first session of psych had been.  
Okay, this is a lie. Sometimes narrators lie. Just like everyone you know does. The Branwen twins had never properly been to school before. They had been taught things they needed to know, but never in a classroom setting and rarely in a large group setting. This was one of the things they had discussed at length before deciding to come here. By this point in the day, both were starting to get cranky with the constant herding they were being subjected to. And with the plain fact that aside from the notable exception of Ozpin’s class, and the 20 min break they’d taken from Medica, they had been indoors all day long. Also they hadn’t slept.

Taiyang was trying too hard to make new friends by making bad jokes with anyone who would listen and it was annoying the crap out of his entire team.

So Qrow would have loved to have slept during history class. He was fucking twitchy. To maintain his awareness he was trying to consider what so far was useful to his and Raven’s mission for Saffron. During Medica they had decided on a meeting place for later that evening. Qrow was of the opinion that Taiyang was a thorn but Raven was beginning to think of ways he could be useful. She was concerned that Summer would be onto them if they didn’t strategize properly. Honestly it had been a while since she and her brother had worked together on anything more delicate than a raiding mission. Saffron had not placed her in command of the mission. They were to work independently, covering different ground but supporting one another. What that meant to Raven was that they were being evaluated independently. He would have to choose marks and produce results of his own volition. If he failed to do so, Saffron could build grounds to act against him.

It wasn’t that the school itself was their target, or even the city of Vale. What the tribe needed were resources, materials, technology, and contacts.  
Saffron was essentially trying to move her operation from a level of brigandry to a level of insurgency.

~

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I wrote the Psych section without actually writing it down a good week before I could make it come out of my fingers, and discovered I had to actually be a little messed up to write it. That was Part 1 of the delay.
> 
> Part 2 was that I sort of had to figure out where the middle section of this story is going. I have spent a lot of time reading up on historical examples of this kind of situation (Irish Rapparees, Hajduks, the 1980s in El Salvador), but in nerd terms, I’m thinking the origin of the Tribe may be similar to the origin of the Kingsglaive. They may have been Great War conscripts who hailed from the area where the main fighting took place (seemingly Central and Southwest Sanus). Perhaps they were first united by someone from the opposite side of the battle (the Atlas side) and may have included members from both sides left with nowhere to go, no homes, and no support at the end of a devastating conflict. 
> 
> In the context of this fic, the tribe may be participating in the FRR by creating no man’s lands and standing in the way of supply transport. I expect they would be sympathetic to the faunus, if their own cause is similar. However, the tribe does not value sympathy. They may respect the Faunus for taking action however.
> 
> Part 3 was of course my stupid knee, which is still not better, even though it’s been two weeks since it betrayed me.  
> Please feel free to discuss your thoughts on my thoughts in the comments!
> 
> On a happier note, I am enjoying my rereads of the earlier chapters better after this break and RESPITE is now fixed and up!


	10. Without It

*~

Without It

Sometimes when you wake up you don’t know where you are.  I recently had a dream so vivid that I felt irresponsible leaving it, like I was walking out in the middle of an important job.  Adjusting to life at Beacon had been especially difficult for the Branwen twins.  As much as life among the Tribe had been constantly personally dangerous, there is quite a lot to be said for knowing where you stand.  Qrow was terribly disturbed to learn that knowing for sure sounds in the dark meant you personal harm was somehow more grounding than not being sure.  Also life without his flanks, Som and Bayard, was so stressful he felt nauseous from it. 

Raven had lived a different life at home than he had.  He wouldn’t have wanted to explain the difference to anyone but his sister, and he had been summarily unsuccessful at getting her to see that the feeling of power she felt when walking through the camp, an effect of being Saffron’s favorite, was worlds beyond different from how he felt looking out for jumps at every turn. 

At home, she was revered, and most people would rather see him gone.

It wasn’t like living in a peaceful town that felt that way.

Every person in the Tribe was dangerous.  The Branwens had been dangerous before they could read or write.  Saffron had cultivated them, had trained them, educated them, groomed them, and had pretended she valued them equally. 

The only person that had ever fooled was Raven.  The favorite.

They had been so young it had been impossible for her to see differently.

Maybe.

Maybe not.

The first time someone had tried to kill Qrow he had barely survived.  He wasn’t terribly beaten up, so it had been hard to explain to someone who hadn’t seen.  But the paralyzing extent to which his life had almost ended was blatantly obvious to him, even at six years old.

They had wanted to erase him from the earth.  They lied afterward.  Told his sister he was afraid of the dark.  It had happened in the middle of the day.

For some reason she always believed violent people.  She distrusted those who seemed calm.

Here, in the dark, in his bed at Beacon, Qrow felt he could partially understand.

Summer was a person he wanted to trust.  He felt much the same about her as he did about Ozpin, as he did about Tiamat Ea, as he felt about the breakfast that was served to him every morning. 

But their seemingly reasonable natures were the most frightening part.  He didn’t know what they might be hiding.

Taiyang for example, or fucking Nyx Vess, who were more of the loose cannon sorts, he wasn’t truly worried about.  They could swing a weapon and hurt him, for certain, but it wasn’t like there was something they were planning. 

Summer was at the foot of his bed.  Summer was very proficient with weapons.  And Summer was keenly aware of how little her partner had been sleeping.

During the daytime he trusted her.  They worked well together, and he believed that she believed it was in her best interest to have his back.

But at night, when everything was quiet, he remembered more than anything else that Respite was poisoned.  That it would be so easy.

That Som and Bayard weren’t here.

Weren’t sitting up in shifts making sure no one tried to take him out while his fighting wrist was fucked to hell.  Weren’t running their hardest back from bathroom breaks because they heard certain voices too near.  Weren’t making sure his weapon was laid at his _left_ side when they laid down for the night.

Raven said he didn’t need them.  That they weighed him down.

That he shouldn’t be so invested in the welfare of others.

That it would expose him when he was weak.

Saffron said it was his weakness.

And he was Raven’s.

Saffron had wanted him gone for years.

And now he was.

Every morning he woke up strained, stressed, bruised, thinner.

Every morning he woke up wanting to feel something, anything else.

That was how he ended up on his knees in the mens room at the Never, with Lotus Acambre’s cock shoved in his throat and the smell of balls in his nose.

He inhaled deeply.

Piss and pavement this was better.

~

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> One dark night in the middle of the day...


	11. The Canary

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This chapter ran away from me but I think in a good way.

~

Friday was different. Raven stared at him accusingly over the breakfast table.

She’d been awake when he’d left.

Well, she’d been awoken.

But he’d been having that dream again, the one where he was a child in the woods just far enough strayed from camp. Trying to find a sense of belonging among brutal people older than him but still undeveloped. There was a rule now about taking in children too young. They were too malleable, and could turn too cruel. Even for Saffron’s liking.

There was a group a few years older than the Branwens.  
Cassia, Opher, Sunil, more of them.

He remembered being shoved up against a jutting rock as Sunil suggested they play “sacrifice,” Cassia’s boot in his shoulders pushing him to the ground. Opher levitated a rock the size of a shield. Sunil’s deceptively soft hands turned his head on their altar and moved his hair aside so he could see out of his left eye that his world was about to come crashing down.

He woke up sweating, breathing too much, dizzy.

Choice was clutched in his arms like a child.

A rustle on the bed across the window told him Raven was awake.

A rustle on the bed at his feet told him to flee.

Summer reached carefully to lay a hand on his ankle, and that was all it took.

He was down from the bunk, shrugged into his pants, feet just barely shoved into his shoes before he vaulted over the edge of the open window and into the night.

Ahead of him was the forest. The way back to Saffron led over those trees.

The forest wasn’t a place of peace. Qrow found fear in quiet.

He banked and instead headed west.

He’d opened his wings but he didn’t want to fly; he wanted to drown.

He thought briefly of giving into it, of flying out over the water further than he could hope to come back.

He beat toward the city. Vale was supposed to be a place of light, crowned with its perfect Beacon.

It was supposed to be different from Mistral. Clean, protected.

Qrow knew better than to expect safety.

So instead he looked for what he knew. He looked for trouble.

What was nocturnal in this town?

What new messes could he stir to forget the ones he was leaving behind?

He saw the neon lights of the Vine district, heard the thumping music and the roaring of crowds.

Bars, diners, clubs. Places mentioned in Tiamat Ea’s packet.

He didn’t want that. He was looking to escape these calm people with their safe lives that made him feel uneasy.

He followed the dark strip of the river west, where factories loomed.

There he saw a dimmer kind of lights, heard a dingier kind of music.

He didn’t want to stand out more than he always did. Not yet. He might be fleeing but he still had to be smart.

He looked for a place with younger people. Not too small. A crowd he could try to disappear in.

That was when he happened upon the Never. A crowd of 20 somethings stood outside an ugly cement building smoking to get away from the too-loud sound system badly distorting the already bad live music. It was a good thing he hadn’t slept. Bruises under his eyes always made him look older.

He had to go a block down to find an unoccupied alley where he could land. He pulled his hair into his eyes and slung his holster over his shoulder so Choice hung compacted at his hip, as unassuming as he could make her. He twisted his feet in his shoes. He was one brand of awkward. He could pretend to be another.

A large group of quieter people were leaning against a wall, some of them holding each other seemingly in support. Some had heads bowed, some were ranting about inequalities and something wrong that had gone on. One girl was standing a bit apart from them, fingering her pack of cigarettes. Mint green hair hung in loose pieces from her messily constructed bun. He sighed as he walked up to her, collapsing against the wall like he’d already been having a hard night. 

“Can I bum one of those before I go in here?”

She gave him a sympathetic smile, and handed one across, “May as well before they ban them, right?” He smiled, accepting the stick with a forlorn look, and sticking it in his mouth, “No kidding,” he mumbled, searching his pockets. “It’s not like taking away our vices is gonna get rid of the Grimm. I really don’t see the point.” Coming up empty, he shook out his hands, shaking his head in disdain. One step ahead, she held out her lighter, flicking on the flame as he leaned into it.

He took a deep drag and held the smoke in his mouth for a moment before blowing it back out. Honestly he didn’t care for getting that shit in his lungs. It was hard to get away from the cities, and that just made fans of the substance cranky. Ashes if it wasn’t useful as a conversation starter though.

He gestured with his chin to the building, “There a cover tonight?”

She nodded, breathing in the night air and looking morose, “Fifteen.”

Outrage and disdain came easily to his features, mixing with the weariness that was already there. He allowed a shred of disappointment. It was usually enough. “Fuck, are you kidding me? It’s already one o’clock.” 

She laid a soothing hand on his arm, “Shh, don’t worry about it, they’re on break anyway. Just walk back in with me.”

She rummaged in her bag for a moment, sparing a glance at the distracted bouncer, “Here,” she whispered, stepping close. Carefully, she lifted his hand and drew a shitty looking P on the back of it.

He smiled wanly at her, “Thanks. What’s your name?”

“Celadon.”

His jaw dropped at her, mind immediately racing back to Ozpin’s office. He could feel the color draining from his face.

“Really?”

She nodded, not seeming affected by his surprise, “What’s yours?”

“Coal,” he lied.

She smiled, sadness in her eyes, “Like the mines that collapsed. Our friend Alani died in that accident.”

Sorrow twisted in his gut. Alani was an orange name. Like Som’s. He fought down a wave of nausea.

“I’m so sorry,” he breathed. “That’s horrible.”

She nodded, “We should go back in. This is actually a benefit night for her. They blew up the article on a poster.” Her tan features pressed into a frown,  
“Lotus says it’s full of lies. You should buy him a drink. He’s been really quiet all evening.”

Her fingers drifted down to his wrist in a touch as light as feathers. 

~

Qrow flashed the ink on his hand at the bartender and bought all three of them a ‘Charity Bomb.’ Celadon slipped her fingers into his hand as she led him into a quieter back room where they found her friend Lotus’ lanky frame folded into the corner of a fake leather couch. His empty brown eyes tried to smile as he slid over to make room for them, “Hey Cel. Found a friend?” Celadon nodded, lifting one of the glasses out of Qrow’s hand and passing it across. 

“I did. He bought us Alani drinks.” 

Lotus’ weak smile faltered but his eyes brightened, accepting the glass, “Man I loved her but these are awful.” He took a sip and winced, “Kinda fits the mood though.” He offered a hand to Qrow in exchange, tucking the long hair that had slipped from his ponytail back behind his ear. “Did you know her too?”

Qrow shook his head and looked down into his drink, suddenly feeling guilty for being there, “No. But I’m sorry to hear that she’s gone.”

“Gone,” Lotus repeated, shaking his head in disdain, “They blew her up on purpose.” Celadon pulled her legs up onto the couch, tightening her hold on Qrow’s arm. She studied the cheap candle on the table in front of them and didn’t look up. Qrow watched her for a moment and frowned, turning back to Lotus, “What happened?”

Lotus stared into his eyes for a moment, searching for something he could trust. “She was working on an article about labor abuses in the mines.” He nodded toward the other room, “It says different out there, but they were mining dust, not coal. And they were making Faunus people do all the dangerous work.” He watched his ice rattle around in his glass. 

Qrow had noticed the dusting of leopard freckles on Alani’s face and shoulders in the poster. She’d been remarkably beautiful.

“She loved to sing,” Celadon commented.

A canary in a coal mine then. Qrow didn’t know what to say. Mourning was something that happened in the wake of the Tribe, not inside it. For him it had been shoved mostly into his dreams. He twined his fingers with Celadon’s. He was better at giving comfort with his hands anyway.

They finished their drinks in companionable silence. The band started back up.

“This one’s for her,” someone slurred thickly into the microphone, “Our little canary.”

Angry fire lit in Lotus’ eyes and Celadon was on him before he could get up. “Lo,” she warned him, her brown eyes boring into his, “Drink your drink.” 

He relented under her stare and swallowed what was left of the cocktail, setting it aside and spreading his hands in a gesture of peace.

“One more and let’s go,” he said, standing slowly. Qrow guessed he hadn’t left that couch in a while.

Lotus’ eyes trained on their newcomer, “Well,” he considered, “Two more.”

His eyes flickered over to Cel and he mustered a small grin, “You know which ones she’d want.”

Celadon smiled, dragging Qrow up with her, “Truth and Beauty?”

Lotus’ smile improved, “One for admitting what you’re doing…”

Celadon grinned, “And one for making it taste better.”

Qrow grinned along with them. Alani had left a good amount of warmth behind her.

~

One and two turned into three and four. Celadon fell asleep against Qrow’s shoulder while Lotus mercilessly detailed all the faults of the band they were forced to listen to. They were sunk deep in discussion about music when Celadon’s roommate came and carefully collected her.

Lotus watched them leave and then glanced at Qrow’s now available hand. Qrow offered him a slight shrug of his shoulders and stretched open his palm. 

Lotus grabbed his hand and squeezed it like a stress ball. After a minute he turned on the couch so he was facing his newfound friend, a lopsided smile on his face, “What was your name again?” Qrow frowned, feeling like it’d be shitty of him to call himself ‘Coal’ again after what he’d learned. “It’s Qrow.” Lotus smiled, shaking the hand he still held, “Hi Qrow. I’m Lotus Acambre.” Qrow smiled back, studying the other young man’s intent expression, “Hi Lotus. Do you want to make out?” Lotus’ eyebrows went up but he didn’t move away, “I do. I think that would be nice.” Qrow smiled as he leaned toward his new friend, “Fantastic,” he murmured against Lotus’ mouth. This was what he had come out for.

~

Friday was different because he felt better. Granted his throat was scratchy and once again he had barely slept, but those short couple of hours after he got back from the Never and before his teammates started making a bunch of noise were the best sleep he’d gotten all week. He had really just needed to get out of his own headspace for a while. And, well, getting into someone else’s pants wasn’t something he was going to complain about either. He closed his eyes and remembered the feeling of Lotus’ hands tugging at his hair, pulling his pillow over his head to try to drown out Taiyang’s horrible taste in music.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hope that helped.


	12. Forging

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Updated: ADDED MORE AGAIN at the end and fixed errors.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> La luna vino a la fragua  
> con su polisón de nardos.  
> El niño la mira, mira.  
> El niño la está mirando.
> 
> \--Romance de la luna, luna, Federico García Lorca *

~  
Summer and Qrow enjoyed a very centering session of Aikido together while Tai and Raven got to be themselves in Dambe and Systema. They rejoined for tea and then had their first extended session of combat as teams vs teams. STRQ went up against VMLN, with a few minutes of prep time to decide how they would focus their attacks. Summer set Qrow against Violet, Raven against Nyx, Tai against Lur, and herself against Muata. She wanted to use the twins against their strategist and their cruel streak, but decided against setting Qrow and Nyx against each other directly due their habit of verbal sparring. Tai and Lur she figured would challenge each other. She wanted Muata for two reasons. His attacks were mostly ranged, and therefore support. She figured he was her best bet for staying on the field long enough to support her team as much as possible. But also she had not yet seen him engage in close combat, and she wanted to know what he was made of.

Raven cleared out Nyx easily, not wasting time to toy, and moved in to help her brother, who was meeting a good mental match with Violeta. Had they been in the open, he would have had her. But in a relatively controlled environment, and against someone whose moves were more calculation based than physical, he had little help from his semblance. The combined Branwen team trounced VMLN’s leader in moments, then turned to find Summer and Muata playing dodge and chase. Lur and Tai were in a similar situation, both with auras low. The Branwens split to cover their partners, and Muata’s volleys went wide. Lur found herself in a corner.

Lunch had Nyx claiming the team was worthless without Raven, and that he or Violet could take any other of them and win easily. Raven surprised her team by sneering at the other student, pinning him by his neck to the glass rack, and promising him Lur and Muata could ruin him without effort now that he’d played his cards. When Violet walked up raising an eyebrow, she released the young man, turning to his captain and offering her hand, “Good bout, Vi, it’s not anyone who can give Qrow a run for his money.”

Ignoring Nyx’ protests, Violet grinned and shook the offered hand gladly, “Quite nice from your team as well. I’d like to play against your brother again. His fighting style is very unique. And hopefully the rest of your team as well.” Summer smiled, “I’m sure we’ll get the time.”

After lunch they had Physics. Qrow took a surprising liking to the numbers and formulae. Everyone else seemed to loath the experience.  
And then, finally, he was set free to go down to the Forge.

The facility was one of the main draws of Beacon for him personally. People had been telling him since he’d gotten on grounds that his weapon was remarkable. No one had ever talked about things that way in the tribe. You made what you wanted and you did what you wanted with it. Its purpose was to keep you alive. Everything about life was sort of pass/fail. He had never sought to impress anyone when he’d designed her. _Choice_ had been more about having an outlet for his opinions and ideas than it had been about making people quiver. He wanted something that could protect him more than he wanted something that could take others down, so he made her blade wide enough to double as a shield. And he wanted something that could become more than what it was. Something that wasn’t just a simple killing machine. Something graceful and strange, but also blunt and crass. He’d put the shotgun on her just to be a jackass.

Honestly, she did a lot for him. But he was very aware she could be so much better.

As he descended the steps into the Forge, his red earth eyes picked out sublimely advanced equipment that made his hands itch to get working. The tuyère alone was a thing of beauty, not to mention the hearth itself. Hammers and tongs hung from the walls in every shape and size. There were individual, cubicled work stations with sturdy protective walls dividing them. His eyes scoured the great space for a work station that was far enough isolated from the rest for it to be reasonably safe for him to be in this room. He did not want to be kicked out of this class.

Standing on the steps surveying the room, he noticed a couple things that bothered him: the isolated station was taken, he’d forgotten he’d convinced Taiyang to take this class, and Nyx Vess was here. But, considering the number of people here he didn’t know from his other classes, the Forge was open to its users outside of their scheduled class time. It seemed a large number of people could work simultaneously without disturbing one another. Also, judging by the ponytail he saw peeking out of a welding visor at one of the stations, Lotus Acambre went to this school. Not bad.

Taiyang clapped him on the back and he jumped about a foot out of his skin, whirling around on his teammate, “Don’t startle me like that, especially not in this room, please.” The blond’s grin was unstoppable even as he raised his hands in pacification, “My bad, sorry. The girls told me you didn’t sleep much last night. But isn’t this place cool?” Qrow found himself returning Tai’s smile rather helplessly, “Tai, you have no idea. This place—you know when you walk into a room of beautiful people and you just feel so blessed? That’s how I feel in here.” Taiyang smirked at him and poked a finger at his chest, “Nerd.” Qrow grinned as he descended the stair, “Ah, you have so much to learn.”

A broad chested Faunus student in a leather apron met them at the bottom of the stair, where tables were arranged in a semicircle to bar them entrance to the actual floor, “Hello first years. I’m Ferro, one of your TA’s for this hour. Professor Faqar will be along shortly.” A woman walked up to join him, pulling off heavy protective gloves. “This is Fidda, his daughter. She graduated two years ago and has come back to try to shove her old man out of a job.” Fidda smiled greedily, “Welcome to the Forge. The most dangerous place at Beacon that you are allowed to visit.”

Lur Aiza, beside them, was brimming with excitement.

Ferro continued, “I know there aren’t a lot of you, but we’re going to split you in thirds for the tour and safety introduction. Please ask as many questions as you can think of. Never guess in this room.”

Dhul Faqar finally emerged from a visor and greeted them, standing a full head above Ferro and Fidda, “But first, please introduce us to your weapons. If you would, lay them out on the tables before you. Be prepared to explain their designs. Remember that at all times any of the three of us have the right to turn you out of this class and bar your re-entry to this room if, for example, your dust cartridge causes an explosion and someone loses their face. If you have made your weapon yourself, please use the tables to your left. If your weapon was forged for you, please use the tables to your right. There is no shame in accepting work done by someone with more experience than you. I simply have different questions if I am meeting an item’s forger than I do for its handler.”

Qrow turned to head left, but Taiyang stopped him with a hand on his sleeve, “What do I do?” Professor Faqar strode over to them, “Probably you want to start by asking someone who knows the answer,” he grinned. Taiyang smiled back dumbly. “If you’re not sure how to categorize your weapon, let me have a look.” He held out his hands expectantly. Tai gave an uncomfortable look at Qrow and placed his hands in the professor’s upturned palms. Qrow laughed. Faqar turned to him for translation. Qrow sighed but couldn’t keep the smile off his face as he replied, “Mr. Xiaolong’s weapons are what you see in your hands, sir.” Faqar’s bushy eyebrows shot up excitedly, and he turned Tai’s hands over again and again, examining his fingers and the breadth of his palms. “A disciple of Kamaria’s school, no doubt. Very exciting. Fidda, Ferro, come look at these!”

Qrow felt oddly proud of his teammate for keeping calm as three experienced smiths oohed and aahed over his bare hands, heads no doubt brimming with design ideas. Lur and the rest of their classmates looked mostly confused as the examination continued, but waited patiently for their turn.

  
Most of the first hour was up before the three made it around to Qrow and Lur’s weapons. They had flitted in a general order from least complicated to most, taking the weapons that were not self-forged first and sending that group off for their tour and safety introductions with Ferro. Tai had gone with the second group of less complicated personal builds with Fidda. Her group was the largest. Dhul smiled as he finally stopped in front of Qrow. He leaned across the table, stroking _Choice_ ’s face carefully. She was in her collapsed form. “A lady, yes?” he asked her young maker quietly, as if to avoid waking a sleeping animal. Qrow nodded, supplying her name, “Yes, _Choice_.” Dhul smiled again, nodding to himself at the title.

 

Looking up, he studied than young man’s eyes, “I’ve seen a fair amount of your fight footage, including the video that granted you your acceptance here.”  He patted the hilt of the greatsword, “This weapon is truly a thing of beauty.  You’ve got a lot of distracting bells and whistles on her, and your materials are absolute shit, but the precise balance she displays and your intimate knowledge of her weight compared to your own is what makes the team of the two of you most special.  I have never seen a student of your age employ counterweight principles with such surety.  I am very, very glad to have the two of you at my hearth, and am quite excited to help you make her gleam like the gem she is.  Let’s have a look at her mechanisms.”

Qrow and Professor Faqar went over her transitions, discussed how to make her shift even more smoothly, and touched on the point that any work done on a weapon with such a high degree of harmony with its user should be undertaken in careful stages, so that Qrow himself had time to adjust his muscle memory rather than throwing himself off balance in a dangerous situation.

When he finally moved on to Lur, Qrow’s mind was reeling.  Their smith at home was one of everyone’s favorite people, a man who had lost his family and replaced it with Saffron’s.  He was kind.  And she allowed him to be.  After working with him Qrow figured out the calmness came from the work.  You had to be quiet and gentle if you were dealing with such dragons as fire and iron.  They were wild creatures you had to respect.  He handled Saffron and her brood much the same way.  But he didn’t _compliment_ them. 

Qrow was usually only ever complimented on his fighting or his looks.  This man actually wanted to work with him.

He really had better not get kicked out of this class.

Lur’s weapon sat deactivated on the table next to his.  He’d never seen it quiet before.  A small stone ball the size of her hand, with some simple scrollwork carved into it.  Active, it was a ball of lightning that wreaked havoc on your aura levels if it hit you.

Professor Faqar didn’t touch the weapon, instead laying his hands on Lur’s bony shoulders, “Miss Aiza, you have brought something marvelous I fear we don’t have time to properly discuss today.”  He pulled out a notebook from his pocket, “Does it have a name?”

Lur nodded, “ _Eguzki_.”

“Would you mind meeting my daughter and I here on Sunday to introduce it better to us?”

Lur blinked in surprise. 

“You can bring anyone you like.  We’ll offer you lunch after.  Bring your whole team if you want to.  Fidda’s cooking is the only thing that gets me out of my workshop these days.”

She slid her eyes over to Qrow.  He tried to give her an encouraging look.

“Sure.” 

The professor nodded, then clapped his hands loudly, startling the remaining students, “Alright apprentices, let’s get to work.  You four are the most experienced out of my new class, but I don’t assume having more foundation means you have the right foundation.  Who knows, you may not even have any common sense.  Or,” he looked them over individually, “You may understand the basics of creation but not of safety.”

He shoved two of the tables apart so he could let them in, “First and foremost, your aura does not protect you from everything.  Most importantly, your aura does not protect you from how angry I am going to be if you cause property damage in my forge.  Please treat everything you touch as if it is as dangerous as that Ew’ah we all recently heard about.  Top on that list is each other.  Assume everyone is dealing with volatile materials at all times and never be closer to another person in this room than it is absolutely necessary to.”

Qrow’s hand shot up.

“Mr. Branwen.”

“Professor Faqar, what do I need to do to get the most isolated work station possible?”

Professor Faqar raised his eyebrows and studied the young man for a beat longer than was comfortable.

Qrow ground his teeth, “I’ve been noted to be clumsy and I am very concerned about causing accidents but this is the most important class to me at Beacon.”

Faqar studied him again, comparing his face with the answer given.

“See me after class and we’ll talk about it.”

The rest of the tour was uneventful except for two things. 

While they were being shown the tongs (the first thing they were allowed to touch in Faqar’s forge), Lur quietly asked him to come with her to meet their instructor on Sunday, and to invite Summer.  She said she didn’t want her partner Vess to be around for the exchange, and was going to bring Violet instead.

The second thing was that while they were being shown the chemical sinks (which they were not allowed to touch), an unmasked Lotus Acambre appeared at Qrow’s elbow with a mug of tea.  “And here I thought you were old enough to drink,” he murmured, trying to keep the amusement out of his voice.  Qrow smirked as he accepted the cup, “Sorry to disappoint.”  Lotus chewed his lip and smiled, “Oh, you didn’t.”  He gave him a look and smiled before walking away.  Qrow sipped his tea.  It did help.

~

After class (and after the discussion Faqar had agreed to keep private), Qrow found Tai waiting for him in the hall.  He was surprised his teammate hadn’t gone on to dinner. 

Tai pushed himself off from where he’d been leaning, “What was that about?”  His tone was conversational, not suspicious or even very curious sounding. 

Qrow rubbed at a sore spot in his neck, “Just wanted to ask for a private workstation.”  He started them toward the dining hall.  “Not sure if you’ve noticed, but people aren’t my favorite.”

Taiyang laughed lightly at that, “No kidding.”

As they walked, he felt his teammate staring at him.  Grouchy red eyes looked over at blue, “What?”

Taiyang scrunched up his nose, “Just wondering if you’re feeling okay.”

Surprising the blond, Qrow managed to look grouchier, “Why?”

Taiyang’s expression was remarkably open.  He turned up his hands, “I may have only known you a week, but that’s definitely the first time I’ve heard you use the word ‘Professor.’”

Qrow snorted, oddly pleased his teammate understood him that well.  He shrugged, “It’s probably the only class that’s actually important to me.”

Tai frowned for a moment as he considered that, then seemed to agree it made sense.  “It _is_ pretty cool,” he enthused.  He pulled one of his arms behind his head to stretch out his ribcage.  “I really liked Dambe today.”

Qrow smiled at the guy he supposed was becoming a friend, “Yeah?  You gonna show me some of that tomorrow like Summer said?”

Taiyang grinned, “If you don’t mind letting me hit you.”

Qrow smirked, “Can’t wait to see you try.”

Tai’s blue eyes sparkled at the challenge.

“Where did you get that tea anyway?  Smells like ginger or something.”

Qrow almost choked on his swallow, then laughed, “Over by the chemical sinks, actually.”

Tai gave him a look that said that information was wild to him, “That sounds safe.”

The Branwen smirked, “I’m sure it is.”

 

 

~*~

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> * http://dan.drydog.com/helen/romance_de_la_luna.html
> 
> There. I promise to stop adding to this chapter now.
> 
> NEXT CHAPTER WILL FEATURE 100% MORE OZ!!!


	13. Deosil, Part I

Deosil, Part I

~*~

If you haven’t seen the updates on Forging (last chapter), it grew by almost a half. Please check it out. Tai and Qrow bond a little and it’s cute.

~*~

 

**Time.**

 

The indefinite continued progress of existence and events in the past, present and future regarded as a whole (Oxford)

The measured or measurable period during which an action, process or condition exists or continues (Webster’s Collegiate)

The continuous passage of existence in which events pass from a state of potentiality in the future, through the present, to a state of finality in the past (World English)

A non-spatial system in which events appear to happen in irreversible succession (WordSmyth)

 

That last had always been Ozpin’s favorite. That word _appear_. He had found, as World English implied, that events in the past did indeed seem to have the aspect of finality. As much as he wished he could change so much of what had happened, time that had passed seemed to be irreversible. At least to him.

But he believed heavily in the potentiality, or perhaps the malleability of both the present and the future.

Much like a striking arm can be redirected so its damaging force returns to the air instead of someone’s person, so too a plan or decision can be changed. He had some choices before him. It was not his place to adjudicate what should be done in response to the dust company’s murder of Alani Kaleohu. That decision must lie with the council of Vale. Ramessu Ozymandias before him had made certain such things would not be within his power. He was just as fallible as anyone and for him to try to play parent to an entire country would be a gross mistake.

But that didn’t mean he could ignore what had happened. The response must come from the council, true, but events like these had a way of …rippling. He would need eyes in the grasses.

~*~

A lot evolved for team STRQ over the course of the next few days. Some things are more important to recount than others. For example, dinner was uneventful. However afterward, Summer asked Qrow to go on a walk with her.

They were walking back to their dorm room, Taiyang chattering boisterously and trying to ensnare a cool Raven in his excitement when Summer reached hand out and touched Qrow’s arm gingerly, concern showing in her eyes, “Can I have a talk with you?” Qrow blinked down at her silver eyes, lowering his voice to match hers, “Sure, what’s up?” She shook her head, glancing at the back of Taiyang’s blond head and watching Raven’s stiff shoulders, “Just us, if that’s okay. Maybe we could go for a walk out in the courtyard?” Watching Raven’s back he could tell she heard but didn’t give a shit what he did. He nodded at his partner, “Sure, why not?”

Raising his voice to get Taiyang’s attention, he raised a hand in parting, “Catch you guys later.”

The blond spun around, surprised, “What?”

Qrow waved him off, “Partner bonding stuff. You kids have fun!”

Raven’s red eyes suddenly lit with alarm as she realized Qrow and Summer going off together would leave her stuck with Taiyang.

Heedless of his partner’s distress, Taiyang grabbed her arm, “Come on, Rae, let’s see if we can’t find Violet or Kishan’s groups and see what they’re up to for the evening.”

Qrow smiled at his sister’s clear distress as the blond dragged her away.

~

 

The night air outside was so much cleaner to Qrow’s mind than the stifling hallways of the school. It made him want to stretch his wings. Summer breathed in deeply beside him, lifting her hood against the breeze and pulling the edges of her cloak around her shoulders, “It’s a nice night out, isn’t it,” she commented. He nodded, falling into step beside her, their seemingly natural compatibility only moderately glitched by the fear that had made him run the night before.

She seemed to sense his flickers of unease, “You know what, forget the courtyard. I feel like it’s not really private around here.”

Qrow’s breath hardened inside his chest, but he stilled his nerves and softened his defenses, “What did you want to talk about?”

Summer lowered her hood so he could see her face. She looked …vulnerable. “I..” she started, letting their footsteps leave the campus, “I guess I feel like I haven’t properly met you.” She turned fully to him for a moment, holding out the hand nearest him, “I’m Summer Rose. I’m from Vale.” He smirked a bit sadly but accepted the offered hand, letting the handshake hold for a moment, “Summer, huh? I have a best friend with a similar name. I’m Qrow Branwen,” he replied in kind, “Raven and I are… sorta from everywhere.” Summer nodded, smiling gratefully although her eyes had picked up a bit of the sadness he’d shown her.

She started their walk again, heels and then toes digging into the gravel path before them, “It must be kind of hard to be from everywhere and then suddenly be stuck in one building.” He snorted mirthlessly before giving an honest sigh, “You have no idea.” Something about her reminded him of Ozpin. Between the two of them, it seemed his best path was to be truthful, no matter how limited he could be about the information.

She let a beat pass before reaching up to link her arm carefully through his elbow, “I… I’ve also left some friends behind to come here. I’d like for you and I to be… available to each other to try to make up for the people we’re missing.” She looked up at him quizzically, “If that would be okay with you?”

He looked into her eyes for a long moment, studying her the way he had studied Ozpin and eventually coming to the same conclusion. He nodded again, half to himself and half to her, “I’d like that,” he replied. “It would be nice to feel like I had someone in my corner here.”

She nodded in response.

They walked on for another minute in silence. It was the same path they’d followed at the beginning of the week, ultimately leading to the cliff if they kept going.

As they passed under the treeline she fidgeted a bit. “Qrow,” she started, “There are a couple of things I want to ask you, but I don’t want to scare you away.”


	14. Deosil, Pt. II

“Qrow,” she started, “There are a couple of things I want to ask you, but I don’t want to scare you away.”

His smiled at her, ignoring the bitter taste behind his teeth, and spread his hands in a gesture of openness, “May as well see how far we can get.”

She breathed carefully, swinging the arm further from him in an attempt to display ease, “Firstly, I want to say I’m sorry for startling you last night.  I should have been more careful.”

He slowed his steps and stared at her.  He’d figured she wanted to ask about that but…  Honestly, in his life, people just didn’t apologize.  He had certainly in no way expected that from a girl from Vale who couldn’t have known how much she frightened him.

“You,” he began slowly, then shook his head, “Summer, you didn’t do anything.”

She shook her head, raising her hands in appeasement, “That doesn’t really matter.  You were clearly in a bad state and I made it worse.  I’m sorry for that.”

He frowned, watching the roots crossing the pathway ahead of them.

After a moment he sighed, “Raven and I…  You and Tai shouldn’t feel responsible for our emotions.  I know we’re supposed to be a team here, but we’re not from a place where that’s really a thing.”

Summer was quiet as they walked on, frustrated and not sure what to say next.  She had a meddlesome disposition and she was going to crack these two sooner than later if she could help it.

“Qrow, it’s not as if I can just leave you be, you’re—” 

Suddenly her face was an inch from the ground and her shoulder seared in pain as he hauled her back up less gently than he would have liked.  He gripped both her shoulders to steady her briefly before dropping his hands. 

She stared at him in shock.  Not many people had better reflexes than hers.

For lack of a better response, she broke out laughing, rubbing her shoulder as she bumped it into his.  “See,” she gestured at the ground, wiping the dirt from her palm onto her skirt, “We’re partners.  We have to look out for each other now.”  He grinned back at her.

She kicked at the offending root before reclaiming his elbow and getting them walking again, “Honestly, most of my nightmares come from stories Ozpin’s told me.  Or sometimes I dream that I’m lost.”

He swallowed, “Most of mine are from things that I’ve seen happen to people.”

She tried not to hesitate, “What do you usually do after a dream like that?”

 _What do I?_   He usually went flying and then did some stupid shit like picking a fight or… or well, shit like last night. 

“Usually something dumb.”

She nodded, “I usually hide.  Somewhere small.  Which is stupid because it’s not like the Grimm find you by sight.”

He squeezed the arm in his and cleared his throat, “I usually run, but then I get scared of empty places, so I go to crowded ones.  Better the enemy you can see or something like that.”

Summer raised a challenging brow, “I thought you said you didn’t like crowds.”  Or was it Raven who had said that?

He turned her expression back at her as they began to climb the hill.  _Shit._   It had been Raven. 

“We’re not exactly the same, you know.”  There was more behind his eyes than the refutation of a simple assumption.

She nodded, looking into the reddish color and squeezing his arm.  They had finally made the cliff. “I know,” she replied quietly.

She looked out over the view for a moment and then back up at him curiously, “Are you afraid of heights?”

He laughed out loud in genuine, surprised mirth, “No.  You?”

She shook her head.  Then, with a spark of daring in her silver eyes, “You wanna go sit by the edge?”

He smiled and let her drag him to it.  Bayard would have hung back a good ten feet.

As they dangled their feet over the edge, she sighed in a proud contentment, flopping back to lie on the grass, “I love being up high.”

He smiled, lying back as well, “Me too.”

Minutes passed and he began to relax, the smell of the grass and the stars on the wind.

Her voice came out of the night air and he found that he wasn’t afraid of it.

“Can I ask you something?”

He smirked, pulling up some of the grass beneath his fingers and sitting up cross-legged so he could braid them together like Som would have, “As long as you don’t ask that again.”

She grimaced, concessionary blush barely visible in the night, “Fair.  You were gone a long time.  Where did you go?  There aren’t any crowds around here.”

He breathed and tasted the far off salt on the air, remembered the sensation of flying over the darkened sea.  His darker hopes were so visceral these days.

“I,” he paused, connecting the intention of the night with what had actually happened.  He remembered Celadon’s softness, the way she had slipped her fingers into his own almost slyly, her quietness disguising how much she’d needed the comfort.  “I think I made a friend.”

Summer sat up to face him, surprised.  She hadn’t imagined he’d actually gone somewhere with people.  Looking over his features in the moonlight, she could see that it was indeed true.  Something delicate and sweet and sorrowful had happened.

She quieted herself in response to his admission, “Can… can you tell me about it?”

He rocked himself back as his mind reeled back to Lotus, the taste of the Truth and Beauty bombs* in his mouth, the feel of his hair coming loose from its tail, the smell of...

He jerked himself back to the present, to the honesty of the person before him. 

They were sat cross-legged, facing each other, their legs close to touching.  He laid his forearms on his knees, stretching his open palms out towards her.

She studied them for a breath, then placed her hands in his, accepting of whatever he was willing to give her.

“I think I can tell you some, “ he answered.

~*~

 

Saturday morning the STRQ team had its first voluntary training session.  The twins had already fought in Itsunka’s classroom earlier in the week, so Summer pitted the boys against each other.  She figured they’d been chomping at the bit to get at each other in distinct contrast to the way she and Raven had been sizing each other up.  She planned to do that bout last.

 

~*~

 

*[Truth & Beauty Bombs](http://asofterworld.com/index.php?id=26)

[A Softer World](http://asofterworld.com/index.php?id=1237), by Emily Horne & Joey Comeau is one of the best things that's ever happened to me.  [If you don't know about it](http://asofterworld.com/index.php?id=497), [I recommend you check it out.](http://asofterworld.com/index.php?id=705)

 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> All my love.


	15. Deosil Pt. III

~*~

Deosil pt III

~*~

 

Now that the first week was over, Ozpin was in the situation Cressida had been a week prior.  New student antics were turning into new student problems.  There were a few names that kept appearing in messages from his staff.  Several of them had expressed concern regarding the Branwen twins, the Vess boy, and Miss Aiza.  He had answered everything that wasn’t pressing by telling his professors that he trusted their judgement, and if it could wait till the weekend he would appreciate it. 

He didn’t have Glynda around to play gatekeeper on weekends, however, and he sorely regretted telling everyone that he was available at any hour when Professor Peach commenced a dedicated bi-pronged attack on his scroll and his elevator at six in the morning.  Glowering at the door to the stairs, he made a point to take more time than he needed to find his slippers, glasses, and robe, as well as take a nice long piss and start the hot water before plodding down the small wooden stair to open access to his office and immediately slipping back up to prepare a cup of quick cocoa while she figured out she could finally get to the top of the tower.

When he came back down he saw she was making coffee for him, already dressed in her lab coat, hair messily tied up because today she was _working_ , not teaching.

“You’re gonna need something stronger than chocolate,” she pressed another mug into his free hand, “Here.”

“I have to get back to work so I’ll be quick.  Your Branwens keep trying to skip out of my class.  The boy still hasn’t come to be about his wrist, and the girl just stares off into space when she is in class.  I understand you’d rather not disclose their background, but they could at least make an effort to _pretend_ to be students.  I am going to be registering a new TA--”

“They’re not _my_ Branwens.”

Peach stopped and gave him a dead eyed stare, “Better practice repeating that in front of the mirror before Mazin gets up here.  You may not have wanted to address this but it’s not like we don’t talk to each other.”

He turned her own expression back at her, strength in his spine and shoulders despite his state of undress, “Sarka, you didn’t want this job.  Please don’t tell me how to do it.”

Nonetheless, she turned out to be right.  The morning was a barrage of complaints about the new class.

He was endlessly glad when one o’clock came around and it was time for the lunch Professor Faqar had promised.  He’d at least wanted to speak about second-years.  Although any offer of food from the Forging instructor was usually part of a bribe.

“I wanted to speak with you about one of our students.”  Ozpin had always appreciated how Dhul thought of the school more communally than most professors did.  He didn’t assign ownership to any of their students.  Rather, he considered the academy more like a large family where everyone belonged to each other.  Ozpin nodded, spooning some rice onto the other professor’s plate before helping himself to a sample of the dishes provided.

Dhul opened up a box of flatbread and offered some to the headmaster before continuing, “I’m sure you’ve heard of the murder of Alani Kaleohu.”  Ozpin looked up from his plate, startled.  Most people were being careful not to call it murder.  Dhul Faqar was not most people.  Ozpin poured them both a fresh cup of coffee, “I have.  I have been wondering what we might be able to do to help her family.”

Dhul sipped cautiously from his cup, “Our Lotus Acambre was a dear friend of hers.  He’s also been looking for a way to help.”

Ozpin’s dark eyebrows rose beneath his silver hair, “Does he have any ideas?”

Dhul shook his head, “Not any concrete ones yet.  I offered him my help.”

“Discreetly?”

“Of course.  I know the council would not want to see us involved.”

Ozpin nodded, “I should like to offer him my help as well.”

Dhul smiled at his friend, “You continue to exceed my hopes.”  He produced another small box that had not been on the table before.

“I taught Ferro how to make _kanafeh_.”  He unveiled the dessert.

“Ooh,” Ozpin praised, selecting a piece.  “We are going to need a small team that are good at keeping secrets.  I’d rather not involve any more of the staff.”

Dhul took a bite of sweet himself, “I think the boy will be a good access point to Miss Kaleohu’s contact group.”

Ozpin nodded, “I suppose we’ll wait to see what he comes up with then.  I’ll speak to him on Monday.”

Dhul nodded as well.  “Speaking of secrets…”  He trailed off, mixing his rice into the sauce from the meats.

Ozpin frowned, watching him, “Yes?”

“Qrow Branwen spoke to me yesterday.”

Ozpin paled, nervous for what was to come.  He worried for the boy and his sister.  The row he’d had with Mazin was still quite fresh in his mind.  It was his turn to cast his eyes downward, “Did he?”

Dhul nodded, waited until Ozpin looked back up at him, “I want to help him too.  I want to give him a sense of purpose.  Something to ground him.”

Ozpin’s stare of open gratitude told Dhul everything he’d already suspected of the other professors’ opinions of the Branwens.

The forging professor continued, “If you can see any uses for him, I encourage you to employ him.  I’m happy to help if I can.”

Ozpin nodded, offering a quiet “Thank you.”

Dhul stared down at the table for another moment, “He revealed something to me in confidence that I think it might help you to know.”

Ozpin frowned at him.  He didn’t expect Qrow had told the other professor about his shapeshifting ability or his upbringing.  He was not that trusting of a young man.  What further secrets could the Branwens have?

“What was it?”

“His semblance.”

Dhul waited.  “You don’t know?”

Ozpin shook his head.  He hadn’t seen Qrow or his sister need to use their semblances, even against the Ew’ah.  “No.”

“It’s _misfortune_ , Ozpin.”

Ozpin stared at him.

“General misfortune.  Constant and uncontrollable.”

“You mean he hasn’t learned how to target it.”

Dhul shook his head, “No, I mean legitimately general misfortune.  It doesn’t focus on his opponents.  It is more pronounced during situations of combat, yes, but it will affect friend as often as foe.  And it doesn’t go away when combat is not present either.  He believes Mazin’s broken projector earlier this week is a casualty of it.  He begged me not to remove him from my forge but he wanted me to know his mere _presence_ there is a hazard.”

Ozpin stared across the table.  “What did you say to him?”

“I said I would try to work with him to minimize risks if he would agree to be as open with me as possible.  We set him up with a work station as far away from others as possible.”

Ozpin steepled his fingers, “So proximity has a lot to do with it.”  He had encountered more Grimm in the forest than the other students.  “Is he aware of its range?”

Dhul shook his head, “He says bad things are drawn to him.  Scouting parties including him encounter more Grimm than others.  If he is in a room, something is likely to break or malfunction.  Out of doors, the environment is more ready to attack those in his company.  Branches break.  People trip.”

“Not good to have in your forge.”

Dhul shook his head, expression showing even he was daunted by the prospects, “No.  But—” he steadied his gaze on Ozpin, “His weapon and his finesse are incredible.  Doing my best to put his semblance aside, the boy himself could be a true asset.  He has exceptionally good instincts for what to do with a piece of metal.  That sword-scythe combination of his is made out of absolute garbage.  But it works like a dream.  I want to keep him.”

Ozpin smiled for the first time that day.  “I’ll pass the first commission request I have to him.”

Dhul smiled in gratitude, “Thank you.  I’d be even more grateful if you could find a positive use for that semblance as well.”

Ozpin turned away to look out through the window, not about to face the good man before him as he spoke the next words.  

“It sounds like he’d make an excellent lure.”

~*~

 

 

 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> He said, ominously. ;)


	16. Widdershins 1

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Make sure you didn't miss the installment before this one. Oz is there.

 

Taiyang had somehow convinced them to spend all of their money in one afternoon.  They had gone out with the idea of getting lunch, picking up the lumber they needed for the beds, curtains for changing, and _looking_ at kotatsu.  Not only had they bought one, they had bought more pillows than they could carry, two very ridiculous looking blankets, and four clip-on lamps for their beds.  Raven and Qrow each lifted a wallet to make up for it, unbeknownst to their partners who could simply call home for more money.

So when Lotus found Qrow at dinner that evening and mentioned their friends were all going out _again_ , he was less than pleased.   

But he couldn’t say no when Lotus said Celadon would be pleased to see him there.

Lotus’ teammates in BSLT (Basalt) apparently knew some of VMLN, so they would be going as well.  Taiyang immediately invited KAKI, because, as he explained it, “What’s a party without Nakahara?”

Summer gave Qrow an eye, “Can you and Vess just try to ignore each other for the night?”  He winced, “I still don’t know what his problem is, but it’s not like I’m looking to start trouble with him.  I like Vi and Lur.  I’ll just talk to them.  Honestly this would be easier if Muata were his partner instead.”

Looking through the packet Professor Ea had provided them, among the coffeeshops, bookstores, shopping areas and skateparks of Vale, there were a smattering of late night and 24-hour businesses catering specifically to students of the various academies and colleges.  The Node, a never-closing coffee house, Moonlite All-Nite* Diner, the Desert Flower* Arcade and Pizza, and the NIGHTENGALE under 30 dance club were all purported to be worthwhile places to meet up or go alone to make friends. 

During the day, the number one recommended spot was the Conservatory, a group of independent restaurants sharing space in an underground dining room decorated with living vine plants.  Summer berated herself for not having taken them there for lunch.

BSLT and KAKI took the early shuttles out, having already been dressed and expecting to go out.  Team STRQ, not really having much in way of outfit changes, still had to go back up to their room to collect their things.  Which left them waiting (and _waiting_ ) for VMLN at the elevators.

“I hate waiting,” Raven complained, leaning against the doorjamb like she would rather be asleep.

“We _know_ ,” Qrow and Taiyang chorused, having had enough of her griping throughout the week.  Summer laughed and shook out the other girl’s shoulders like she was a ragdoll.

“Why can’t we just go without them?”

Summer sighed, “Because I told Violet we’d wait.”

“Vi doesn’t need us to—”

A door slammed on the far side of the corridor and Violeta led her team down the hallway, purple boots reaching up to her thighs and hair longer than they’d realized straightened and set free.  Taiyang ungracefully sized her up and Summer jabbed him hard in the ribs.  Qrow noticed she’d also managed to get Lur into some eyeliner and a top that probably wasn’t hers and smiled.

“Hey guys,” Violeta greeted, sliding her hand between Summer and Tai to press the elevator button.

“Hey...” Tai returned awkwardly.

Qrow stepped into the elevator as the doors opened, turning around to see VMLN following.  He gave a nod to Violeta’s boots and hair, “Nice job, V.”  She shouldered up to him, fiddling with an earring, “I can clean up when I want to.”  Raven managed to be human and complimented Lur’s eyes.  Nyx glared at Qrow.  Muata, in glasses they hadn’t seen before, was picked up a ramble about the places near the Nightengale that they could eat later if they got hungry.  Raven frowned at him, “Didn’t you just eat?”

And they were off to the races.

Lotus and Celadon were outside when they walked up, but she put out her cigarette to run over and wrap herself Qrow in a tight hug.  She smelled like apple blossoms and fresh dew.  When she pulled away she clapped him on the shoulder and he saw she had paint on her cheek.  “Lotus said you went to his school!”  He grinned at her, then turned around to introduce her to his team.  “When did you two meet exactly?”  Taiyang had a knack for only noticing details when they were awkward.  Raven shook her head and dragged her partner inside, “Let’s get this over with, it’s cold.”

Thanks to Lotus, Qrow found an actual drink in his hand while Summer got a soda.  He was really glad to see Celadon again, but got pulled away from catching up with her when Violeta dragged him out to the dance floor.  His eyes picked out Raven against the back wall, Nakahara tugging on her arm while Achillea tried to pacify the blue haired girl.  Kishan just stood by laughing.

Violet followed his eyes, “Hey, I’ve been wanting to ask you, is your sister into girls at all?”

He snorted, “I’d say you should ask her but I’ll save you the trouble.  Sorry V.”

She shook her head, earrings glinting in the dance lights, “It’s okay.”  She watched the crowd around them for a minute before meeting his eyes again, “Are you?”

He smirked at her, “As long as they’re wearing thigh highs and at least one knife.”  She grinned.

The merriment went out of his eyes, “But I’m not my sister, so if that’s what—”

She waved her hands in front of his face to pacify him, looking genuinely sorry, “No, no, I didn’t mean it like that.  I like a lot of different flavors.  You just happen to both be on my list.”  He raised his eyebrows at her, grinning again, “You have a list?”  She winced, “Maybe?”  He laughed at her, grabbing her arm, “C’mon, let’s go save my sister from Kasumi.”

It ended up being easier to avoid Nyx throughout the evening than he’d expected, despite spending much of his time with at least one of his teammates.  At one point, while chatting with Muata and Celadon he noticed Vess talking to Raven and Lotus’ captain, Blaine.  Whatever his problem with Qrow was, he was glad Raven didn’t seem to be part of it.

He was also glad the guy wasn’t invited to dinner with Professor Faqar tomorrow.  Or, technically, later today.  He hoped Summer let them all sleep in after this.

Suddenly Raven appeared at his elbow, pressing her fingers into his arm, ...  _ _  _Annoyed_ , _Ditch_.

“Hey Cel, can I bum a cigarette?”

His jade-haired friend produced one from her bag easily and offered it to him, “Here you go.”

“Thanks,” he said, pulling Raven along with him through the crowd until they were outside.

She breathed the free air hungrily, “Thank you.”

He offered her the cigarette, “You want this?”

She shook her head, still focusing on deep breaths.

He stood by, though not too close, and put it away in his pocket, wishing he’d brought his drink.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This is the last installment to take place during the first week of term. From here on, installments are going to start jumping forward.
> 
> *http://www.welcometonightvale.com/


	17. Widdershins 2

~*~

Two weeks went by and Qrow still hadn’t been kicked out of Forging or sent up to Ozpin’s office.

Kamaria Itsunka’s voice rang up from commotion of the hallway at passing time like a tornado alarm.

“BRANWEN!”  It seemed two weeks was his limit.

“It is _not a suggestion_ when we mention the uniform is to be worn _without any weapons_.”

Qrow, eyes still wildly fixed on Nyx, relaxed his hand to drop the knife as told but nothing else about his stance changed.  

“Then you’re going to have to put me in a cell because there is nothing I cannot easily grab that I would have trouble murdering Vess with.”

Taiyang tried to stop him from the sideline, reaching out a hand carefully, “Qrow…"

Qrow clenched his teeth, nervous and too much in fight mode to deal with a friend, “Don’t touch me.”

Nyx rallied, “Yeah, Tai, it’s better not to pet wild animals.”

That was it.  Taiyang lost his patience and darted out to grab Vess’ wrist, yanking him first towards him, and then rotating and accelerating the force with two quick twists of his body to throw him into a wall.

Ozpin chose that moment to materialize out of seemingly nowhere.  “GENTLEMEN,” he shouted in command, “All three of you.  Freeze where you are.”

Everyone in the hallway froze.  They’d never heard the headmaster raise his voice like that before.

In the ensuing silence, his voice was deathly quiet, his eyes never leaving the three boys.  “Kamaria, get Tia.  Take her class if need be.”

Professor Itsunka left immediately.  Ozpin stared the VMLN boy down, knowing STRQ knew better than to mess with him, “Mr. Vess, Professor Ea is going to take you to see Professor Peach, and then you are going to explain to her the history of this altercation, sparing no detail.”

Nyx swallowed fearfully under the headmaster’s stare.  Professor Ea appeared at his elbow, using her sleeve to wipe the blood from his face.  It didn’t really help.

Professor Ozpin broke his stare and turned to face Taiyang and Qrow, “STRQ, the two of you are to follow me.  Now.”

~

It was a long walk up to Ozpin’s office, and he and the two boys trailing him could feel his seething rage leaving him by degrees as they approached the tower.  Once they made the elevator he turned and glared at them until they stepped in.  Then he closed his eyes, sighed heavily, and left most of his anger outside the door.  He studied them as they rocketed upwards, the blond, tanned boy from the small island of Patch, and the dark haired one from, as Vess had unkindly alluded, the wilds of the world.  They were an unlikely pair, but, he still felt, a good one. 

He turned from them and watched the buttons light along their way, passing the “Office” and finally reaching the office.

He felt better as his feet crossed the thick glass floor.  Taiyang followed him to his desk habitually.  He looked up to see Qrow standing apprehensively just outside the elevator. 

He sighed again, looking the boy long in the eyes before closing his own, shaking his head as he turned to retrieve a large metal box from his bookshelf.  Its contents clunked heavily, and, from the sound of it, messily inside.  He set it on the far side of his desk, catches facing the Branwen.

“Qrow,” he called, motioning him over.

“Can you turn this,” he touched the lid, then opened a drawer and withdrew a packet of plans, “Into this?”

Qrow stepped up carefully and glanced at the plans, scanning them quickly, then opened the shitty tackle box and rifled through its contents, cataloguing them mentally and comparing them with the equipment and parts available to him in the Forge within seconds.

“Yes.”

Ozpin watched his face, saw the certainty in his red eyes, “How soon can you have it done?”

Gears wound inside the young man’s head.  A beat passed, “Tomorrow morning.”  He bit his teeth in a grimace, “Earlier if you need it.”

Ozpin studied the drawings on the desk, then glanced up at him, “I need it to be precise.”

Qrow’s returning glance was brief, perfunct.  He was already studying the plans, “Of course.”  He was no fool when it came to weaponry.  “When do you need it by?”

The more time he had, the more polished the work could become.

Taiyang looked between the two of them, but his curiosity went unanswered for the moment.  

“Wednesday morning.”

Qrow nodded.  That would leave him time for etching if any was called for.

Ozpin glanced at the setting sun, “I’d like you to start on it now.” 

He included them both in his gaze, “I want to meet with your team as a whole in an hour and a half.”

“I’m going to speak with Taiyang first, and then I’ll send him to collect the girls.  This is going to run through the dinner hour, so I’ll have a meal sent up here for all of us.  I imagine we all need a reminder to properly take care of ourselves.”

Qrow nodded.

“Go ahead and get to work.  We’ll talk then.”

The young man closed the tackle box carefully, gathered it and the plans up under his arm as though they were delicate, and stepped back into the elevator.

Ozpin turned to his teammate.  “Taiyang.  Please sit.”

The blond did so, looking nervous.

Ozpin settled into his chair and rested his fingers together, “I apologize if you didn’t already know this about me, but I am not a fair person.”

He studied the blue eyes before him, “I know about your background.  And I placed you with the twins because I believe you possess the skill set to work with them.”

Taiyang frowned.  The headmaster was telling him the teams were rigged.  Not only had he been lied to, but he’d been taken advantage of.  His upper lip curled in distaste.

Ozpin gave him a hard look and a nod of acknowledgement, “It is not my place to divulge what I know about you to any of them, nor their personal information to you.  But I can tell you my intentions for your team are for STRQ to become a unit I can rely on.”

He had trusted this man until now, and more was being asked of him.

“The four of you have remarkable skills.  Qrow and Summer I believe I can get to trust me.  Raven is going to fall mostly to you.”

Taiyang bristled at the perceived slight against his partner.

The headmaster continued, “If there is anything I can orchestrate that might help her in a way she would be amenable to, please let me know.”

Taiyang sat for a moment and simply stared at the other man, revelations reeling in his head.  Finally, he took a breath and leaned forward, challenging what he’d heard, “Are you saying you put me here to be their babysitter?”

Ozpin sighed, his customary gentleness returning to his features.  “I put the four of you together because I believe you can stretch each other in meaningful ways,” he said, “And because I believe that once you figure out how to work together, it is going to be very hard to stop the four of you.” 

There was true faith shining in his voice.

It was a sound Tai had not heard from either of his parents in a long time.

Ozpin folded his hands, “Believe it or not, you are already doing an excellent job.”  He gestured toward the young man before him, “What happened between you and Qrow just now displays a lot of faith.”

Ahh.  He was proud Tai had stood up for his teammate.  And maybe he had correctly handled Qrow in that moment as well.  They had communicated.  Qrow had gone over the edge, but Tai had brought him back.

“I can’t speak as much for Raven,” Ozpin continued, “She doesn’t seem willing to let me get to know her.  But despite Qrow’s outbursts, I can tell you that he is a deeply loyal person, and if you earn it he will always have your back.”  Tai thought back to how Qrow had watched out for his sister in the club.  Even if she wasn’t always warm with him, he was there for her.

“Professor…”  Taiyang paused, not truly knowing what to say to any of this.

“I’m sure you have questions, Tai.  Please get cleaned up and collect your teammates.  Fill them in.  I’ll see you back here shortly.”  He stood, crossed around the desk to place a hand on the young man’s shoulder, “For what it’s worth, I’m sorry for misleading you.”

 

~*~

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> It's gonna be a while before I get this much time again.


	18. Widdershins 3

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I've loved all of your Christmas fics!! Hugs and smooches to all of you!!!

~*~

Tai felt shaky as he stepped out of the elevator.  They should be in a lot of trouble for this but somehow he didn't think they were.  He did feel worried for Qrow.  His friend had just snapped. Summer had said she thought something was wrong with him that morning but he wouldn't tell her. He pulled out his scroll to measure the girls, “So we messed up.”  He could almost hear Summer’s sigh in her real response, “yeah…. where are you?”  “I'm on my way to the room.”  “we'll meet you there” 

 

He walked quickly, looking down rather than having to meet anyone’s eyes.  Raven finally managed a reply, “That what you call it?”  He winced. He and Raven had been getting along manageably well.  For the most part.  But he already knew her cold shoulder was icy as a black hole.  Well he assumed black holes were cold.  This was not going to be a fun week. 

 

Summer buzzed him again, “is Qrow with you?  he's not answering his scroll.” 

He saw Violeta walking down the hallway and ducked into Mazin's empty classroom as quickly as he could, leaning against the chalkboard filled with battle dates as he texted his reply, “Ozpin gave him some work to do.  To cool him off I think.”  Deeming it was probably safe, he stepped back into the hallway. 

 

And right into Violeta’s face. 

“Fuck.” 

She gave him a very small and exhausted looking smile. 

 

“Hey there sunshine.” 

 

“Violet I'm sorry.” 

 

She shook her head.  “You’re not.  It's fine.  If it had been the other way around I would have been ready to hit your teammate too.  I've got to go meet the profs at Tia's office.  I'm gonna want to talk to your team tomorrow though.  Tell Summer to message me.” 

 

Taiyang relaxed measurably, “Okay.”  He made to move past her but she grabbed his arm.  He swallowed. 

 

“Just so you know,” she said softly, “If it had been anyone other than Vess…”  She let it hang there. 

 

He swallowed again, understanding her warning, “I know.” 

 

When he finally made it to their room, he collapsed against the back of the door in relief. 

 

“Where's my brother?” 

 

He sighed, not opening his eyes, “In the Forge.” 

 

He heard Raven jump down off her bed, opened his eyes and raised his hands to placate her, “Ozpin gave him a commission that he has to have done by Wednesday morning.  I think he needs to work on it.” 

 

Raven looked him in the eye very plainly and said, “I think he needs to have his thick head bashed in.  Stand aside.” 

 

“Raven,” Summer looked up from the homework she had spread all over the kotatsu, “We have Tai right here.  Let's hear what Ozpin said to them.” 

 

“Whatever,” Raven groused, but stood down and took a seat at the table.  Tai relaxed and followed her, flooding his legs under him and leaning forward on his elbows. 

 

He looked across at Summer, “Ozpin’s a weird guy.”  Summer nodded, knowing much more about that than her friends ever could.

 

“I don't like him,” Raven replied. 

 

Summer looked up at her, surprised.  The professor was a friend to her, almost family.  She’d known he was often weary from dealing with people who didn’t like him, but…  She’d never known any of those people.  Now she supposed she did.

 

Taiyang cut off the exchange, “He seemed pissed in the hallway, but I don't think he's actually mad at us.” 

 

He paused a moment but decided to come out with it, “He told me he put our team together on purpose.” 

 

Raven frowned at him, always already suspicious, “What do you mean?” 

 

He looked between the two of them for help, “Like in the forest, that's supposed to be random, right?” 

 

Summer looked down at her fingers, feeling a bit guilty for having known certain teams were planned.  “There are ways to make things seem random when they're not.” 

 

Raven threw up her hands, “Great, now I trust him even less.” 

 

“He wants to meet with us on an hour.” 

 

“I think we should go in combat gear.”

 

Tai sighed, this is what Qrow meant when he said his sister didn’t know when to be subtle.

 

Summer pulled her knees up and wrapped her arms around them.

 

“Raven, there’s a lot we need to talk about.  As a team, I think.  I know a lot about Ozpin.  He and my parents have been close as long as I can remember.”

 

Raven’s stare didn’t give any ground, but her momentary silence did.

 

Summer continued, “He’s not just a headmaster.  He’s a person too.  He’s trying to make things safer for everyone.”

 

The tribe’s dark-haired daughter stared across at the girl from Vale.  They could not know less about each other.  But still…  This girl in her white cloak carried a poisoned knife everywhere.  She seemed to want to be able to hide within plain sight, but something about her could not be ignored.  Maybe they might make better allies.  But Raven could not ally herself with someone so guileless.

 

“Rose,” Raven’s red eyes met Summer’s silver, and for the first time, they were almost gentle, “Don’t tell me you believe that’s all he’s trying to do.”

 

 

 

~*~

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> i'm beginning to collect some images related to this story. expect them after a few more installments.


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